Lament For The Dragon Moon
by KaramelKat
Summary: Two victims in a night neither one remembers.  How will they cope?
1. Chapter 1

_Dear Reader,_

_I felt I must write a forewarning to this story. It contains mature content regarding a very dark and serious issue and may not be suitable for eyes under the age of 18. If you are under 18 please turn away from these chapters now. You have been warned. Parents you are warned as well._

_As I, the author, am not entirely comfortable with this issue as well, I will not be describing in full detail the incident that occurs between the two main characters. I will leave that up to the imagination of the reader to fill in the blanks of the deed._

_The issue of which I speak is rape. Alot of people can assume this issue only happens when a man forces himself on a woman, but I assure you that rape can happen to a man as well. The incident which occurs between the chapters of this story has two victims in it as you will see. If you do not wish to read about such a sensitive issue then I ask you to hit the back button on your browser and do not read the story._

_If you should choose to continue reading then I hope you find this story filled with drama, angst, tears and love. If you have issues with the incident that occurs, then please private message me rather than leaving it as a review. I assure you I had the characters in mind when I wrote this. Draco will always be an arrogant snob, but somewhere in his chest is a grinch of a heart that needs to grow 3 sizes bigger. And somewhere in Luna, she has the love, the wisdom and cleverness to make even the most hardest of hearts fall for her._

_I hope you will keep that in mind as you read and learn to appreciate these characters as much as I have._

_Thank you._

_Kat_


	2. Chapter 2

_False Face Must Hide What the False Heart Doth Know_

_'Shell Cottage_

Luna was kneeling in front of the grave in the gardens. Someone, she suspected Harry, had engraved the large, flat, white, stone gravemarker _HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF._ Harry was currently on the top floor of the cottage talking to the goblin right now with Ron and Hermoine. He had been out at Dobby's grave a long time before coming inside.

The wind blew Luna's blonde hair every which way, tossing it across her tear streaked cheek, coming in from the ocean not too far off. Too tired to fight her hair dancing in the breeze, she lay down amidst the garden, next to the grave, reaching a hand out to curl it over the freshly dug earth.

Even though she had spoken the words earlier amongst the others, she whispered them again, "Thank you Dobby." The tears which had been making tracks down her cheeks began anew. She knew she was not just crying for his sacrifice, but for her own freedom which had come too late and at a great cost.

Her body ached. The shower that Fleur had insisted she have, had felt wonderful hours ago, and she had been thrilled to be clean. Showers, food, water, any sort of kind treatment had been a rarity in the basement at Malfoy Manor. She had stayed in the shower until the water had run cold around her.

Luna curled her knees up to her chest, her thighs protesting, an ache she could not erase easily reminding her of another reason she cried. The deepest wound was not the black puffy eye she sported nor the cut on her mouth. The worst wound lay in a memory that she didn't want to think about.

_His eyes had been blank, unseeing and unfeeling. He strode across the room where she was huddled against the wall, grabbing her arm and dragging her to her feet. She lifted her arm swinging at him, but he caught her fist before it could connect to his cold, impassive face, twisting her arm and causing her to cry out in pain._

Luna whimpered, curling in on herself, the tears coming harder. _She didn't want to remember! She didn't want to think about him and what he did to her! _

She repeated the words again, "Thank you Mr. Dobby. Thank you for rescuing me. He can't hurt me anymore." Her whispered words were carried away and lost on the wind from the ocean.

In her heart she tried to believe the words were true, but every time she closed her eyes she could feel him touching her and hear the vicious cackling and taunting of words from behind the locked door.

She would truly go _mad_ if she had to live with the memory. She would be Looney. She whispered the word aloud, testing it out on her lips having heard the taunts so many times before. "Looney Luna...Looney Luna..Looney Luna Lovegood-" the last broke on another sob.

She couldn't live if she had to relive that moment over and over in her head. The pain it created in her chest was too much. Her body would heal, but her mind would never forget, unless she forced it to.

Luna stuck her hand up the wrist of her left sleeve. Slowly, she extracted the wand she had _borrowed_ from Fleur without her seeing. She had to return it soon so that it would not be missed. But she had needed it desperately and had taken it without asking.

Luna lay on the ground turning the wand upon herself. She had never attempted the magic she was about to do and prayed she did it correctly. She took a few breathes to attempt to stall her tears and gain her focus. She wanted to close her eyes but to do so would make her see _his_ face again, a face she never wanted to see again. She kept her eyes open, silent tears still streaking across her streaks.

She kept her hand steady and took another deep breath. Concentrating very hard, she said the one word spell that would put her world right again. _"Obliviate."_

**-HP-**

Luna did not know how long she lay there by Dobby's grave. She knew that she was crying for a reason. She surmised that it must be from the tremendous sacrifice the elf had made on their behalf. She was tired and sore, likely from being scrunched up in an almost fetal position.

She stretched out, wiping the tears from her face. She felt at odds with herself, like she was forgetting something and did not know what. Her tears slowed and she wiped her cheeks with her sleeve. Slowly she got to her feet, looking around. "What did I forget?" Her large grey eyes circled the area, pausing when they landed on a wand in the grass.

Bending over Luna murmured, "The Nargles have been stealing things again." She recognized Fleur's wand and picked it up off the ground. With one final swipe of her cheeks she said, "Rest in peace at last Mr. Dobby," then walked back towards the cottage.

Entering the back door of the cottage she found Bill, Fleur and Dean sitting at the kitchen table. They looked up when she entered.

"Fleur I found your wand in the backyard," Luna held out the rosewood and veela hair wand towards its owner.

"'How did I do that?" Fleur's english was getting better but her lilting french accent would always remain making her h's disappear off of words completely and her s's to sound more like z's. She took the offered wand from Luna asking, "Would you like some tea?"

Luna nodded. She sat at the table as Fleur poured her a cup. They all looked up at the sound of footsteps. Harry was coming down the steps with Ron and Hermoine. He didn't speak a word to any of them before heading outside.

Luna pulled her mug of tea close to herself. The table was very quiet, not only from the four occupants being exhausted, but also in hopes to catch any snippets of conversation that might be overheard from outside. The wind though proved to be a match for keeping conversation shielded from eavesdropping and eventually they all gave up and found makeshift beds for the night.

**-HP-**

Weeks passed at the cottage. Luna knew Ron, Hermoine and Harry were plotting something but they did not tell her what it was. She wasn't one to ask either since they would tell her what their plans were if they intended to include her. Bill and Fleur had no such compunctions and tried to wrangle the information out of them nightly.

She kept busy with helping Fleur with chores around the house. She took care of Mr. Ollivander just as she had at Malfoy Manor. Her black eye had disappeared, she did not even remember how she came by it, nor how the cut on her lip had occurred. Her wounds had healed much quicker than the wandmaker. He was still underweight even though Fleur tried to feed him constantly. He had been almost a father figure at Malfoy Manor and Luna had found that keeping care of him during her three months of imprisonment, had gone a long way to keeping her from worrying about herself. She had been sorry to see him leave to go to Bill Weasley's aunt's house. He had left with the promise to create her a brand new masterpiece of a wand.

Worry for Luna's own father had always been in the back of her mind and she had been told that he was being kept in Azkaban by the Death Eaters after what had occurred with Harry and Hermoine. She had heard of his imprisonment when Professor Lupin had come to visit the day before to announce the birth of his son and make Harry Godfather. The birth was a brief celebration of light in such a dark period. They had to take every happiness they could grab, because Voldemort was sure to snatch it away.

She had become better friends with Dean Thomas, the dark, lanky boy seeming confused by her shared tales from her father's stories. He was very nice and she could see why some of the Ravenclaw girls, particularly Padma Patil and Lisa Turpin, had been known to call him a 'prime catch'. He told her stories of his Muggle parents and the summers he spent with them. She would share stories of her summers with her father.

Every day Luna would take fresh flowers out to Dobby's grave, placing them on top. She wasn't sure why she did it. She just knew she felt exceedingly thankful that he had come and taken her away from that dark, damp basement. He deserved her respect and Luna could tell Harry appreciated her gesture towards the uncommon, dead hero.

This particular day she had chosen daisies to place upon his grave. Fleur came with her down to the end of the garden. "Thank you Dobby," Luna said as she had done countless times before. She knelt down, leaning forward to take the sea lavender out of the cup she kept near his grave, and replace it with the newly cut daisies.

Her actions caused her to wince, an expression that did not go unnoticed by Fleur Weasley. "Are you alright Luna?" The french woman's voice was filled with concern.

"Oh yes I believe so," Luna's own voice was soothing and calm. She glanced up at Fleur and admitted, "My chest was hurting yesterday but it went away. I think perhaps it's just a little sore."

Fleur reached out a hand helping Luna to her feet. "You must take care Luna," she admonished. "You went three months with very little food or water. Do you want me to call a medi-witch here to check on you?"

Luna smiled and waved her hand at the offer, "No thank you. I'm sure it is nothing." When Fleur gave her a dubious look she was quick to assure, "I'm fine. Really. If there was something wrong it would have shown up in this past month don't you think?"

Fleur had to accept that as she nodded, "Of course."

Changing the subject, Luna knew her next words would get Fleur's mind off of her temporary pain. "Shall we go inside and see if we can break Hermoine this time?" It had become almost a game at night to try to get one of the three to tell what they were planning.

"In truth I am about to forcefeed them Veritaserum just to make them spit the truth out to us," Fleur confided as they walked arm in arm back to the cottage.

**-HP-**

After two weeks Harry, Hermoine and Ron vanished one morning. Their sleeping bags had been discovered empty that morning as Fleur made breakfast. The two Weasleys had been in a bit of a panic until Luna reminded them that they had likely laid out all their plans and set out to see them through.

While Luna missed the three of them, she was more than happy to enjoy their share of breakfast that morning. "Your appetite is getting so much better Luna," Fleur had commented.

Luna helped herself to more of the eggs and commented, "I know. Daddy always said I couldn't eat enough to keep a bird alive." Talking about her father brought familiar tears to her eyes as she whispered, "I wish he could see me right now."

Bill and Fleur just smiled as Dean entered, scratching the front of his t-shirt lazily. He was rubbing his eyes with the other hand. "Good morning," he said coming to rest his hand on Luna's shoulder.

Luna froze for a second and then leapt out of her seat so fast, her fork clattered to her plate. Her grey eyes were wide, her face had lost color and she could feel her heart racing as if panicking. The moment passed almost as instantly as it came, her own confusion matching the expression on Dean, Bill and Fleur's face.

It had caught her offguard, that momentary panic and so she said in a rather embarrassed voice, "I'm sorry Dean. You startled me." He had in fact, but she didn't know why it would startle her so badly she would want to run away. As her heartrate returned to normal she slid back into her seat.

"It's alright Luna," Dean shared a look with Bill and Fleur. Luna had caught that look between them alot recently. They had surmised between them that she was suffering from Traumatic Stress Disorder, likely due to her imprisonment and the treatment she had received at the hands of the Malfoys.

She pretended not to notice the look. She was not some fragile creature. Bellatrix LeStrange had used the Cruciato curse on her several times during those three months, torturing her for information that she did not have about Harry Potter. She had survived each of those tortures including the cruel taunts that worse would befall her before the dark witch was done with her. Luna shivered, goosebumps appearing on her flesh as she recalled the cackling mad laughter of Voldemort's strongest warrior.

No, she was much stronger than they could ever begin to guess.

**-HP-**


	3. Chapter 3

_The Battles Done And We've Kind Of Won, So We Sound Our Victory Cheer_

_Hogwarts_

It had been a long weary night and Luna was exhausted. She could barely keep her eyes open as morning gave way to the noon hour. Voldemort was dead and amidst the celebration, the announcements were being sent out by any owls who had survived the battle.

Harry had disappeared earlier thanks to a distraction Luna had provided to him. She had been lucky enough to survive the fight; others had not been so fortunate. She was helping to tend the wounded when Neville grabbed her wrist, pulling her away for a moment.

He stared at her for a long moment and then tutted, reaching a hand up to grasp her chin. He turned her head to the side, examining the gash across her forehead and said, "Luna you need to have that treated."

Luna looked up at Neville, a half smile drifting across her face as she said, "You too." His gash was nearly identical to hers and mirrored on the exact opposite side of his head. The crown of his head was bright red from where the sorting hat had lit on fire. He had suffered first degree burns, at worst a blister here and there from second degree burns. He chuckled tiredly, both of them knowing that they were more worried about others than they had time to think about themselves.

Glancing over Neville's broad shoulder, Luna's smile suddenly widened. She leaned forward, lifting to circle her arms around Neville's neck and hugged him. Gently she whispered in his ear, "There's someone here for you I believe."

Releasing Neville, she turned him around by his shoulder to face Hannah Abbott. The blonde Hufflepuff was dirty, sweaty and just as exhausted looking as the two of them. Her face lit up when she saw Neville and his was equally bright. He stumbled forward over the rubble making it to her side in no time.

Luna felt a burst of happiness for her friend. She watched as the two embraced before turning away discreetly to give them time to each other. She limped forward, wanting to help others, but her eyes did not want to stay open a second longer. She made it to one of the benches that had somehow survived in a corridor crowded with rubble. No longer able to lift her head, she lay down upon the bench and fell fast asleep.

**-HP-**

"Luna," A gentle voice crept into her consciousness waking her up. "Luna munchkin wake up." 

Luna opened her eyes. At first she thought she was still dreaming, because she had seen the face she was looking at in her dreams so much these past months, that she couldn't dare to believe he was there in person. She had wished him to be there so many times, it seemed too much to think her hopes had finally come true.

"Daddy?" The words slipped past her lips and he nodded his blonde head. He was crouched amongst the rubble and was holding one of her hands. His face was paler than ever, his dark brown eyes were regarding her face except for the eye that crooked inward that always disturbed others upon seeing it. His cheeks were hollowed out, his hair was tangled and matty.

He was the most beautiful thing Luna had ever seen.

A sob of relief escaped her lips and she flung heself onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Tears of joy escaped her eyes, his too, as they clung to each other. "Oh my Luna," he whispered into her dirty tangled curls. "I was so worried." 

She murmurred into his shoulder, "Me too Daddy." She squeezed him hard and he returned the bear hug before gently releasing her and setting her back onto the bench. Tears still slid from her eyes as she looked him over, noticing the thin set to his once broad shoulders.

"I prayed every day that I would see you again." Luna found herself smiling through her tears at her father's admission. "I asked your Mum to keep you safe."

"We're both safe," Luna wiped her eyes on her sleeve, leaving a dirty streak behind on her cheek. She was covered in rubble dust from head to toe. "That's what matters." She took her father's larger hands in hers and squeezed them.

**-HP-**

The father-daughter reunion was joyful until her father came to notice the gash on her forehead. Scolding her for not having it seen to right away ensued and with a bit of bullying that Luna didn't mind, he brought her to the hospice wing at Hogwarts to be taken care of.

While her wound was being tended to, Luna asked her father to go find news of the injured and lost, to see who had been found, who had survived the battle and who had succumbed to their wounds while she was asleep.

There were medi-witches from St. Mungos taking care of the most serious injuries, the ones who could be moved to hospital without grave risk to the injured. The ones with injuries that could be treated at St. Mungos had already been apparated there. Those with minor injuries like Luna, were being tended to by Madame Pomfrey and a few students who had shown an inclination in the healing arts.

Luna found herself being treated by Madame Pomfrey herself who was tutting at her much as Neville did earlier. "Did Neville come in to be looked at?" she thought to ask while Pomfrey was cleaning her wound carefully.

"Yes," The Madame nodded her head and said, "He's been taken to St. Mungo's to treat his burns. Hannah Abbot accompanied him there with his grandmother I believe."

Luna nodded her head. She hissed as her wound was treated with a cleaning potion that would make sure any infection was eradicated. It was followed by a dittany salve that would speed up the tissue healing. Once she had gauze spellotaped just above her eye to cover the wound, Madame Pomfrey stood back and said, "Any other wounds dear?"

"I don't think so," Luna shook her head. She crossed her arms in front of her, wincing again as a familiar pins-and-needles sensitivity occurred when she folded her arms across her chest. It had become commonplace the past few weeks.

"Then I suggest you go to one of the tents they've set up outside. I hear there are hot showers, food and beds out there." She took another step back to regard Luna carefully saying, "You look like you could use some more rest dear."

Luna nodded her head. She thanked Madame Pomfrey and left the hospital wing. A shower did sound very nice and she was surprised to find that she was starving, her stomach growling loudly. She hadn't eaten since the night before the battle, having received Neville's message on the D.A. galleons just after supper had been taken at the Shell Cottage. She took off in search of the promised food and showers.

**-HP-**

In the weeks that followed the battle, Luna usually quiet life was thrown into a whirlwind of activity. She and her father had returned to their land in Ottery St. Catchpole. The ruins of The Rookhouse would have to be repaired. They had gone to the Ministry of Magic to apply for housing assistance and had been placed on a long list of names with others who needed the same help. Voldemort's destruction existed everywhere.

Xenophilius and Luna had worked to rescue their personal possessions from the remains of the house. Most of it had been blown apart by the erumpet horn, rummaged through by thieves, snatchers and Death Eaters, or ruined by the weather in the months after her father's arrest. Luna had rescued the picture of herself and her mother from when she was little. The edges were wrinkled from being water logged through rainy weather but the frame had been situated under a large chunk of wall and had not blown away in the wind.

She managed to rescue one of her clothing dressers that hadn't been smashed apart in the explosion. The dresser yielded some necessary clothing items such as underthings, pajamas, sweaters, jeans and socks. She was happy to see her clothing. She had been living in borrowed clothing for several months now. It would nice to be back in some of her own.

The printing press for her father's magazine was no more. The machine had been torn apart the night of the explosion and rain had further destroyed any chance of putting it back again. Xenophilius had been able to rescue a few of his robes, letters written between himself and her mother, and photographs.

That first week she had stayed with her father at night in a nearby inn in Ottery St. Catchpole that had been run by Muggles. They were there a few days until he had made an announcement she had not expected.

"I'm going to help with the rebuild," Xenophilius told her. "When we were at the Ministry they were asking for witches and wizards to volunteer to help with every rebuild and since it will be a few months until we receive assistance, I feel it is my responsibility and duty to help."

Luna had looked at her father in surprise. She suspected by the glimmer of guilt she had seen in his dark eyes, that he was trying to compensate for what happened a few months ago at Christmas time when he had tried to give Ron, Harry and Hermoine to the Death Eaters.

Reaching her hand out to cover his large one she had squeezed it saying, "I think that's a wonderful idea Daddy." She smiled.

She had offered to go with him, but he had declined stating she needed to stay for the summer and get ready to go back to Hogwarts for her remaining years. Luna couldn't continue to stay in the muggle inn on her own so she had owled a brief note to Ginny with a return reply from Mrs. Weasley and that is how Luna found herself to be staying at the Burrow. For the remainder of the summer until September first, she'd be their guest.

Ginny was thrilled to have Luna at the Burrow and the blonde felt the same way. She had grown especially close to Ginny and Ron through their final school years and other than the _unfortunate incident last Christmas_ as it had been termed, the family readily accepted Luna into the chaos at the Burrow.

Luna was roommates with Ginny since Hermoine had left just two days prior after Fred's funeral to track down her parents in Australia and bring them back. Harry and Ron were together in Ron's room and George Weasley had been staying at home in his old room he had shared with Fred. He hadn't full recovered from Fred's death and the funeral.

**-HP-**

One morning, less than a week after Luna had come to the burrow, she woke up before dawn feeling too hot and her stomach was heaving. She got up, going to the loo and retched. Afterwards she flushed it away, going over to the sink and splashing cold water on her cheeks and swishing her mouth clean. She felt better but her face was red, still flushed with heat and she hoped that she was not getting sick. She went back to Ginny's room and crawled back into the bed.

Two hours later Luna woke up to the familiar smell of Mrs. Weasley making breakfast. Judging by the smell it was summer sausages, a favorite of Ginny's. She took stock of her body noting she felt immensely better, the fever gone and no queasiness. Sitting up in bed she noted Ginny was still sleeping and so got quietly out of bed to go get a shower.

After her shower she returned to get dressed. She selected a pretty violet blue short sleeved blouse and her most favorite pair of jeans. She was attempting to button her jeans when Ginny woke up. It was a bit hard not to wake up, considering Luna was grunting with the effort.

First she had tried to button them as normal, but the button just wouldn't meet the little sliphole it needed to go through. Luna had looked down in consternation. She had sucked her tummy in, but that had proved to make her a bit nauseous so she had immediately let her breath out. Now she was laying on her bed, trying to make her tummy flat as possible to get the button snapped.

She was going to have to stop eating so much if she couldn't even get her clothes to fit. Luna finally got the top button snapped and stood up. The pressure of the waistband tight across her stomach was extremely uncomfortable in this position. She ended up unsnapping the button and pulling her shirt down across her torso trying to cover the fact that she was about to go down the stairs to breakfast this way.

Ginny had stretched and yawned saying, "Good morning Luna." Having noted her predicament with the jeans Ginny said, "That's what my Uncle does when he comes over for dinner." She got out of the bed.

Luna giggled and lifted her shirt to pinch her stomach which was protruding slightly forward. Taking the bit of skin between her fingers she wiggled it saying, "Fleur and your mother are too good at cooking. I'm going to have to get new robes for next term if I keep eating this good."

The girls had a good laugh at that and Ginny left to get a shower herself before Harry and Ron hogged the bathroom to themselves.

Luna headed downstairs to find Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. "Good morning Mrs. Weasley," she greeted softly.

Mrs. Weasley was standing at the window while behind her the dishes were washing themselves and the breakfast was cooking itself. She turned away from the window wiping her cheeks, her brown eyes rimmed red and her face puffy from crying. It was not unusual to catch her like this lately.

"Good morning Luna," she greeted before going over to check the sausages frying on the stove. The spatula hovering above dipped down to flip two of the links. Luna wandered over to the cupboard to get down plates for setting the table.

She set each plate carefully before going back and digging in the drawers for forks and knives. She was becoming familiar with the Burrow having helped Ginny set the table each morning previously. While she was laying a fork at each place she said, "He's alright you know Mrs. Weasley." She didn't look at the woman, focusing on her task but finished by saying, "In fact he's up in heaven pulling practical jokes on everyone, including my Mum." Her lips smiled as she related, "Mum always did hate practical jokes. She's probably pinched his ear for it." Luna's hand lifted to her own ear as she said, "I got mine pinched quite a bit as a child."

Mrs. Weasley looked at her and Luna suddenly worried that she had said something wrong. However, Mrs. Weasley suddenly laughed. "I used to do that to my boys," she told Luna. "Fred and George both got their ears pinched quite a bit."

Luna's dreamy smile widened as her melodic voice said, "Well then I suppose he'll feel right at home when my Mum pinches him."

It was silly talk, discussing which jokes Fred would pull and pinchings ears in heaven, but when Mrs. Weasley began putting sausages on a serving plater, her eyes had a little bit of life brought back into them.

Ginny came down the stairs just as Luna set the last glass on the table. Mrs. Weasley was slicing bread into individual slices. Harry and Ron were behind her still in their pajamas and sat down in the middle of the table. Mr. Weasley had already had his breakfast earlier and had apparated to work.

They all sat at the table and served themselves. "Not hungry today Luna?" Mrs. Weasley asked noticing that she had taken only one spoonful of eggs and a piece of toast.

"Yes," Luna was not known to lie about anything. "Starving," she admitted. That was the only thing she said which left Harry, Ron and Mrs. Weasley to stare at her waiting for an explanation that was not forthcoming and Ginny was snorting around her mouthful of eggs in amusement.

"Have some sausage then," Mrs. Weasley stabbed a piece with a fork and made to put it on Luna's plate. Luna covered her plate with her hands saying, "No! Thank you," her voice softened a bit. Ginny choked on her eggs from laughing so much and Mrs. Weasley cast her only daughter a look saying, "Chew your food before swallowing Ginevra."

Ginny reached for her drink, picking it up and taking a swallow gaining her breath back. She was giggling as she said, "Sorry Mum. Luna's got jeans issues." Luna threw a look of accusation at her best friend for telling on her. Harry asked, "What issues?" which threw Ginny into a fit of giggles.

"Never you mind," Mrs. Weasley seemed to understand, being a woman and all, but Luna was embarrasingly honest, even about herself as she said, "My jeans didn't want to button properly this morning."

Harry and Ron stared at Luna who stabbed a bit of egg and swallowed it. She stared hungrily at the sausage platter but avoided actually picking out one.

"You know my Uncle Alfie just unsnaps his pants whenever they're too tight after eating," Ron commented which caused Ginny to choke on her toast as she laughed again. Mrs. Weasley snapped to him, "He's family Ron, not that you should be imitating that bad behavior. Young ladies do _NOT_ unsnap their buttons at the dinner table."

Ginny was hooting with laughter at this point and under the table, Luna tugged her shirt hem down further, her cheeks turning red.

**-HP-**

They had spent the day clearing gnomes out of the garden. Luna had been sad to see them go. While the others cast spells to repel them, she had tried many times to coax the little pests her way, holding out her finger so they could bite her and ensure a lucky summer.

Alas, no gnomes had been tempted her way so she was destined to make her own luck it seemed. After clearing the gardens, Mrs. Weasley had given them instructions to stay outside while she cooked dinner. Bill and Fleur were coming that evening from Shell Cottage for dinner. Percy was also popping in. George would be forced out of his room by his good ear, if Molly Weasley had anything to say about it.

Luna was sitting in the backyard of the Burrow with Ginny. She was using a borrowed wand to practice simple spells. She had come of age last January and no longer had to restrain from using magic in the summer.

The wand she had was not her own. Her own beautiful wand of White Elm and Unicorn Hair, 10 and 1/4", had been confiscated last December. She did not know if it still remained in Malfoy Manor and she was not inclined to go back to find out. She missed her wand terribly. The new substitute of Maple and Dragonheartstring did not accept her magic as easily as her previous beloved wand.

Ginny was also practicing magic and additionally she had passed her apparation exams and obtained her license to apparate. She was easily able to move from the house and back, the resounding crack of apparation marking each time she did so. Luna had never taken the exams so she wasn't able to practice with Ginny.

The last apparation had caused Molly Weasley to yell at her daughter, "I told you to stay out of the house young lady! You're as bad as Fred and George!" from the window of the kitchen. Ginny and Luna giggled together over her exasperated tone.

They practiced spells all afternoon, Ginny teaching Luna a few spells she had missed her last term at Hogwarts. They talked about the upcoming year and what they were looking forward to most about returning for the school year. They retold their memories of the previous year at Hogwarts to each other, laughing over some stories, becoming teary eyed at others. Both of them admitted apprehension at what the future of Hogwarts would brinng.

Harry and Ron had disappeared during the afternoon with a Ministry official who had arrived to take both of them away. When they came around dinner time, the two of them were bursting with news.

"Guess what Mum!" Ron had cried upon entering the burrow. She had scolded, "Take your shoes off Ron!" as he repeated, "Mum, guess what!"

Since Mrs. Weasley wasn't doing it, Luna spoke up, "They've finally discovered that the new minister Kinglsey Shacklebolt was once a well known muggle singer named Jimi Hendrix?" Four pairs of eyes landed on her incredulously as Luna said in a very light tone, "I thought everyone knew that."

Ginny had bit back a grin as Ron said, "Er-no." Harry was unusually silent, Luna noted, possibly giving Ron his chance to tell his mom the news. The youngest Weasley son finally burst out saying, "Shacklebolt asked Harry and I to begin our training as Aurors!"

Ginny and Luna both smiled at the news saying, "Congratulations!" Ginny threw her arms around Harry, whispering into his ear. Mrs. Weasley however did not look terribly pleased at the news, clutching her chest and asking, "Are you sure?"

Harry nodded. "We start training on Monday along with Neville, Seamus and Dean." He sounded pleased. Luna knew he had wished to be an Auror more than anything. She was glad for him.

Mrs. Weasley still did not look happy with this news. Her frown lines around her mouth increased as she said, "I don't think you two should accept the job. My dinner rolls are burning." Having said this, though no telltale of smoke came from the oven, she turned and walked into the kitchen leaving the four teenagers behind in the entryway.

Harry, Ron, Luna and Ginny exchanged looks as she left. An unhappy matriarch meant dinner was not going to be a nice affair.

**-HP-**

Mr. Weasley and Percy had taken the brunt of Mrs. Weasley's upset when they came in for dinner. Luna and Ginny had been upstairs changing. Luna was dismayed to find that skipping lunch and her tiny breakfast had done nothing to help the slight swell in her stomach. She would have opted for skipping dinner too but her stomach was disagreeing with that idea quite noisily and it was making her irritable. She had even snapped at Ginny quite by accident over a trivial comment about going clothes shopping. Ginny had just meant Luna needed more clothes than the meager amount she currently had. Luna had thought Ginny was commenting about her clothes not fitting right.

Their misunderstandign had been cleared up, but down below they stayed away while Mrs. Weasley lit into Arthur and Percy, certain that they were somehow responsible for Harry and Ron being offered the position of Aurors in training.

Certain words drifted up the stairs past the closed doors, no matter how they tried to block them.

"..if Shacklebolt thinks he's going to take another one of my sons..MY SONS!"

"Molly dear, they're grown adult boys..."

"..irresponsible and not to mention entirely too early for them to make a decision like that!" 

"Mum, they're going to be training. It's not like they'll actually be out in the field hunting Death Eaters."

Their words went back and forth until a knock came upon the door. It was Bill and Fleur who managed to stop the arguing. Their arrival meant that it was safe for Ginny, Luna, Ron and Harry to leave the upstairs since Mrs. Weasley was distracted from ranting by the arrival of her second oldest and his wife.

Dinner was a constrained affair. Bill and Fleur knew something was up because Mrs. Weasley kept frowning between her husband, her two sons and Harry. The only persons who did not get her frowns were themselves, Luna Lovegood as guests, George and Ginny.

Luna stuffed her gullet with everything on her plate even helping herself to seconds in some cases. It went a long way to restoring her constitution and she found herself agreeing with Ginny that she needed more clothes than what she currently had in her possession.

When they were lingering over the last of the roast beef and potatoes, Bill stood up taking Fleur's hand in his, gaining everyone's attention at the table. "We've got some news," he said with a twinkle to his eye. Fleur was smiling and Mrs. Weasley took one look at the two of them and burst into tears, guessing correctly even as Bill said, "We're pregnant!"

Amidst the congratulations, Luna was pleased to hear George tease Bill asking him how Fleur managed to knock him up. It was a good sign that he was regaining his humor back. Luna went over to Fleur to hug the french woman, having liked her immensely from their shared time at the cottage together.

"She's due at the first of January," Bill was telling his mother who was sobbing happily into her napkin. "I'm going to be a grandmum finally!" She engulfed both Bill and Fleur into bearhugs which were returned wholeheartedly.

The news had changed Mrs. Weasley's whole demeanor and their dessert of strawberry rhubarb pie was decidedly lighter than the mood spent during dinner. Luna had made it up in her mind she was going to not eat a bite of the pie, but the smell was too enticing to her nose and she found herself scarfing down a large piece before the night was done.

**-HP-**

Another week passed, the end of May bringing about the higher heat of summer. The gardens had been completely cleared of gnomes and shoots were growing up where Mrs. Weasley had planted her summer vegetables back in March before they had left the burrow, hiding from Death Eaters. The matriarch had been happy to see her garden surviving even though it had lacked care through the month of April while they had been away.

Luna was helping Mrs. Weasley prune back weeds that early morning, a better time to do weeding than in the heat of the day when she found herself getting exhausted recently. Ginny was still sleeping, Harry and Ron had begun their training so they had side-along apparated with Mr. Weasley to the Ministry.

Luna grabbed a Thale Cress pulling it out by the roots and chucking it into the pile she had created. She was thinking about her own garden at The Rookhouse. She missed the dirigible plums, their fruit floating upward in the sky, along with her roses and wisteria. She had suggested to Mrs. Weasley that she might visit her land to bring her back a plum to start a bush of her own here.

They'd been weeding together for several minutes when Mrs. Weasley sat back on her heels and said, "Luna dear, I need to speak with you." Her voice was entoned with a serious weight behind it. She tugged her gardening gloves off her hands, slapping them down to rest on her thigh.

Luna stopped from tugging another Thale Cress. She leaned backwards, having already been seated on her bum, legs crossed each other in front of her. "Yes Mrs. Weasley?" From the older woman's tone, she felt a moment of fear that perhaps she was no longer welcome in their home. She tried to think if she had done something that would have caused Mrs. Weasley to speak the way she had.

"About this morning," Mrs. Weasley began. Luna felt her heart jump in her chest. She had woken up before dawn again, feverishly hot and sick to her stomach. It had happened several times in the past week and seemed to be getting more frequent. This morning Mrs. Weasley had caught her coming out the bathroom and had inquired about her health having overheard the puking sounds. Luna had assured her that she was fine, but it appeared her reassurances had not been accepted.

"I'm not sick," Luna said to Mrs. Weasley. "Honest. I feel really good right now." She smiled at the older woman in a reassuring manner.

"Yes I know you told me dear," Mrs. Weasley's eyes were watching Luna like a hawk and for once she felt a bit uncomfortable, just as her own eyes could make others uncomfortable. "The thing is Luna, the walls are not very thick in the burrow and this is not the first morning I've heard you in there." 

Luna felt a familiar lurch in her stomach, like she was going to retch again right there. She stayed quiet a moment and the feeling went away. It was just anxiety about this conversation. Mrs. Weasley sounded like she was trying to make a point, but Luna wasn't certain what that point was. "I don't think it's the flu," Luna said, "I've had the flu before and I was in bed for nearly two weeks before I could even get out of it." She supposed Mrs. Weasley was worried that she had some catching sickness.

Mrs. Weasley looked taken aback by her words as if she had not expected Luna to come to that conclusion. She opened her mouth, shut it, opened it again and then asked, "Luna, you lived alone with your father since you were nine correct?" Luna nodded. "Er.." Mrs. Weasley looked entirely uncomfortable as she asked, "Has he ever talked to you about.." and at this she looked really uncomfortable to be speaking to Luna, "well the relations between men and women?"

Luna's pale brows drew together as she tried to decipher Mrs. Weasley's meaning. Finally she said rather bluntly, "Are you talking about sex Mrs. Weasley?" At the woman's red faced nod she said, "Oh Daddy and I had that talk years ago." She waved a hand and reached for a weed pulling it up, "It was really quite funny. He kept talking about birds, bees, pollens and pistols." She glanced at Mrs. Weasley and a humorous smile crossed her lips as she said, "Finally after confusing me with too much information about the mating habits of insects and how flowers reproduce he gave me a book to read. It was most informative unlike Daddy."

Mrs. Weasley briefly smiled at the shared memory. Her smile quickly disappeared as she returned to the subject at hand saying, "Then if you've read a book upon it, you know why I wanted to speak with you."

Luna stopped pulling weeds again, her eyes drifting to Mrs. Weasley in confusion. Mrs. Weasley was looking back at her and then drifted down to her stomach. Luna wasn't stupid by any means. Her mind clicked the puzzle pieces in place, her cheeks bursting with red color as she made the connection that Molly Weasley had assumed.

She took a moment to compose herself, not wishing to offend Mrs. Weasley with yelling. Besides Luna didn't yell. She took a breath, calming down her nerves which had suddenly jumped a thousand levels as her brain was screaming at her to remember the words in the book regarding women and reproduction. Nearly every single symptom Luna had the past few weeks had coincided with something she had read.

But it was impossible. It was more impossible than Alice falling down the rabbit hole into wonderland. "I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley," Luna told the older woman, speaking her thoughts out loud. "What you're suggesting is highly impossible." She drew her knees inward to herself saying, "I've never done the thing you're supposed to do when a man and woman create a baby together." Her cheeks were burning with a blush as she admitted this. She was not embarrassed to talk of it, but she would never have told this woman such a personal detail of her life if not for the fact she was accusing her of something ridiculous.

Mrs. Weasley was equally red-faced but the relief on her face was immediate. She knew Luna to be an exceptionally truthful girl and so she busied herself with putting her garden gloves back on saying, "That's a mercy anyways." She let out blew out a breath and then said, "Still, I'm going to make you an appointment at St. Mungos. We need to find out what's ailing you dear."

Luna started to protest, but she herself was curious about her maladies that were coming and going. She nodded her head at Mrs. Weasley and said, "I will go."

**-HP-**

Her life was being turned upside down, apparated through a tube and pushed into a tiny locked cage of a prison with no chance of escape. It sucked the very breath from her lungs, stealing any chance of oxygen she needed to breathe.

Luna stared at the person, a young medi-witch, who had innocently made the announcement as if it was nothing of importance, competely unaware that she had just punched a hole through Luna's gut with her words.

"I'm sorry can you repeat that?" Luna stared at her stupidly, her mind blank.

Mrs. Weasley looked equally shocked, but less so than Luna. Perhaps she had expected it, even with Luna denying the very fact in the gardens. It would be the first time a young lady had told an untruth to avoid an ugly situation. Unfortunately there was no getting around the truth when the hospital had confirmed it.

"You're pregnant," the medi-witch confirmed holding Luna's chart. She seemed unware that Luna had gone into a state of mild shock as she said, "If you had just told us the truth in your medical history we could have found this out sooner instead of running all those others tests. Your bloodwork shows it though." 

Luna's brain was processing the information, even in its frozen state. She heard one thing that had her whispering hysterically, "I did tell you the truth," although the medi-witch who was still talking didn't hear it. Mrs. Weasley heard her say it, her brown eyes melting in sympathy.

"Nearly 8 weeks based on the information we gained," the Medi-witch was continuing obliviously. Luna wanted her to stop speaking, to freeze time and vanish. "We'll prescribe you some vitamin potions. We're going to take you for-"

"STOP!" Luna finally got her breath back, holding a hand up and shaking her head. Her voice was filled with a desperate note as she claimed, "You must have mixed me up with someone else. I _can't_ be pregnant!" Her legs instinctively crossed themselves as she said, "I've never...ever.." she made a gesture with her hand.

The medi-witch gave her a glance of disbelief saying, "Immaculate conception is impossible dear, no matter what Christian muggles may say otherwise." Clearly this medi-witch was a non-believer in that religion.

Luna shook her head, still in denial. Mrs. Weasley was putting the information together, her heart starting to hurt for her daughters young best friend. "How many weeks?" she asked, hoping she had heard it wrong.

"Eight weeks," the medi-witch said. Mrs. Weasley looked at Luna and asked, "Can you leave myself and Miss Lovegood alone please?" The medi-witch finally got a clue, nodding her head and leaving. "I'll be outside if you need me." She closed the door when she left.

Luna placed a hand on her stomach. They were wrong, terribly wrong. She wasn't pregnant. It was impossible. "There you see?" she seized upon what the mediwitch said and then shook her fist at the door, "I was in hell two months ago, locked in a cellar!"

"Luna," Mrs. Weasley's voice cut across her consciousness, her tone full of pity and kind charity that Luna looked up swiftly at her, wondering at the tone.

"No one could blame you dear," stated in a quiet voice. "For denying anything happened." She reached over to take Luna's hand in her own. "Whatever happened at Malfoy Manor, it is not your fault if there were consequences."

Luna stared at Mrs. Weasley as if she were mad. She knew what the woman was suggesting and she cried, "No!" She jerked her hand out of Mrs. Weasley's. "The Malfoys were cruel, Bellatrix tortured me, and I was not well treated," she was quick to say, "But I would _remember_ if soemone had.." her voice faltered suddenly losing its fierceness as if she finished weakly, "done that." She couldn't even bring herself to say the word. It hung in the air between the two women.

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Weasley asked in such a manner, that Luna was indeed questioning herself regarding her memories.

After a moment she nodded her head. "I'm certain,' she said. "Bellatrix was the one who tortured me the most." Her own voice was quiet, contemplative as she recalled those three months spent in the Malfoy basement. "She threatened at times to do worse to me, but she never carried them through. I never left the cell-," Luna's voice paused in the middle of speaking as she thought of one time that Bellatrix had dragged her out of there,

Mrs. Weasley watched as Luna's cheeks suddenly sprung up into a fierce red color. "What is it?" she asked.

Luna's color disappeared as she said, "The day before Harry and Ron rescued me, Bellatrix did drag me out of the cellar to use the Cruciatus curse on me." Her cheeks pinkened. "After she was done torturing me, I suppose you could say I had a delusional moment." She didn't like to admit that. Her classmates had called her Looney although she knew she was quite sane. Telling Mrs. Weasley about this particular moment was rather embarrassing. "I think maybe the torture had gotten to me because I could swear Harry was there telling me I'd be alright and that he would save me and.." Luna's voice trailed off as she blushed saying, "kissing me."

What was she doing? She may as well have written, _I have a crush on Harry Potter_, right on Ginny's head, for having told her best friend's mother that. She was quick to say, "But that was all I imagined..kissing." She was positive her face was on fire and followed it by saying, "Maybe it was a premonition because the next day Harry and Ron did come and rescue us." And then she was firm in saying, "But Harry didn't kiss me then," looking at Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley was regarding her with a strange look upon her face. "Can you say that again?" she asked Luna.

Blushing, Luna repeated it and ended by asking, "Will you please not tell Ginny this? I really don't want her to misunderstand."

Mrs. Weasley shook her head, "Of course not." She didn't seem concerned over Ginny's emotions instead saying, "Luna, you sounded funny when you told me that."

"I what?" Luna asked.

"Your voice..it went funny," Mrs. Weasley told her, "rather wooden I'd say like you're reading a book when you speak." She took Luna's hand in hers asking, "Was there a chance you'd been put under the Imperius curse?" As soon as she asked it, she waved her free hand saying, "Never you mind, you'd not remember if you had been."

Luna felt her heart tighten in her chest immediately. From behind her eyeballs she could see it, a flash of grey eyes blinded by the milky white murk of the Imperius curse. As quick as it slid through her mind, it was gone and Luna was left with a cold burning of terror in her chest. She couldn't explain where it came from but it had her jerking her hand from Mrs. Weasley's once more, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms the tops of her legs.

The question hung in her mind...Had she been set under the Imperius curse?

-HP-

There was no hiding it from the Weasley family. Ginny had known something was up when her mother and Luna had returned to the Burrow. Luna had gone upstairs to rest, still reeling from the news she had received. She heard the quiet tones of Ginny and Mrs. Weasley talking down the stairs. Later, after she had fallen asleep, she was woke up by the shouting from below. A glance outside showed it was later in the evening.

The shouts were coming from Harry and Ron who were making severe threats upon the person of one Draco Malfoy. Luna didn't want to drag herself out of the bed and face them, but she couldn't let them exist under the impression that Draco had been the one to infict this upon her. She had no idea who had done it. It may have not been Draco at all.

Creeping down the steps she heard each and every word.

"You boys need to calm down now." That was Mrs. Weasley.

"Harry, Ron you're going to wake Luna up." Ginny's voice was concerned for Luna and she a modicum of appreciation for that.

"We go over there right now. You lock his legs and I'll break his arms," Ron was threatening.

"You're both Aurors in training. Do you think it wise to make threats against a wizard?" Mr. Weasley was trying once to be the voice of reason.

"I'm not breaking his arms, I'll break off his-"

"HARRY!" Mrs. Weasley's voice left little doubt she was shocked by Harry's threat. Luna had no doubt which appendage of Draco's, Harry was threatening to break off.

"He deserves the worst that can fall before him!" Ginny defended Harry's threat, "What he did to Luna-"

The girl in question entered the room, effectively cutting off conversation. Luna was not unused to the silence of a room when she entered, knowing she had been being talked about. It hurt worse this time because these were her friends and in some ways, her family.

Mr. Weasley had a look on his face as if he were going to be ill. Harry and Ron wore twin thunder expressions on their face although they were attempting to hide them. Mrs. Weasley still had that pitying expression of her face that Luna found herself disliking immensely. She didn't want pity.

Ginny walked over to her, taking her hand and drawing her forward. "Are you okay?" she inquired as politely as if she were asking about the weather.

Luna's dark grey eyes looked into Ginny's brown ones. There was no pity in her gaze, just a worried concern that showed how much she cared for her best friend. Luna nodded her head gently, reaching up to brush a stray lock of blonde from her face.

There was a chorus of concerned noises around her and Luna looked at each face carefully before stating her next words carefully. "I'm really alright. I'm not a china doll who will break." Those words coming from the small, petite, blond, fair skinned girl who did remind people on occasion of such an object, caused smiles to appear on their faces.

Luna looked at Harry, who still had a notion of anger simmering in his green eyes. She knew what he was thinking even without him saying it. He blamed himself for her predicament. She knew he regarded her as a little sister he had never had, wanting to protect her as much as he would any of his best friends. She felt a distinct rush of affection for him. She would always admire him.

It was him she addressed as she said, "I don't even know how this happened." She looked between Harry and Ron as she said, "So assuming it was Draco is only going to be making asses out of the both of you and justify the names he's called both of you in the past." It was rare to hear her use a curse word and Ginny squeezed her hand as she said this to them. Ron looked shocked that she had cursed. Harry looked vaguely amused for a moment. Luna's wit had always amused him.

Mr. Weasley no longer looked as ill as he had upon seeing Luna. His eyes reflected the pity his wife shared. "Of course we don't assume it's him," he told them. "We'll have to report this to the ministry in the morning so an investigation can be done and-"

"No," Luna immediately said. Harry and Ron both began to object but Luna made her voice louder than theirs as she said, "I don't want to know." She wasn't completely certain that was true, but at this moment in time, she feared the truth. She'd had one nasty shock already today. She wasn't certain she could handle any further shocks this coming week.

"But Luna whoever did this has to pay for what they've done," Ron said even as Harry rejoined with, "They've got to pay. The Malfoys have to pay for this."

"Of course they do," Mrs. Weasley agreed and Arthur nodded his head.

Luna shook her head. "No," she repeated firmly. Her legs were starting to shake and she was getting that burning cold sensation in her chest again as the thought of knowing what happened seemed to frighten her again. Harry had always said she was a brave woman, but she felt like a complete coward at the moment. Damned if she wasn't being one. Lifting her head to look at Harry, her eyes were begging him to understand she needed time. She needed to hide from this momentarily. "Not yet," she whispered, "Please."

His face turned into a scary mask of anger. He didn't say a word to her as there was a sudden crack of apparition, the Boy Who Lived disappearing to who knows where. He and Ron had gotten their license finally the day they joined Auror training so now he did not have to side-along with Mr. Weasley to the ministry.

Ron stared at the spot Harry had disappeared from before leaving and stomping out towards the backyard. Luna's legs gave out from under her and it was Ginny who held on to her and helped her onto the sofa of the Burrow's living room.

"Please do not let him do anything stupid," The redhead was only too familiar with Harry's hotheadedness.


	4. Chapter 4

_In Vito Veritas, In Wine There Is Truth But Veritaserum Works Faster With No Hangover_

_Malfoy Manor_

Draco Malfoy was having the worst year in his entire near 18 years of being.

In the month following the end of the Dark Lord's reign, his family had fled the battle, been captured and interrogated, charged with crimes by the Ministry of Magic and also exonerrated of the charges. While particularly grateful for not being in Azkaban, Draco disliked the fact that the Malfoy name had lost its prestige. His father no longer held his high position at the Ministry of Magic, having been deemed unfit to continue the job. They may have just as well as branded _You're a traitor and we can't trust you_ on Lucius Malfoy's forehead.

The Ministry had come to Malfoy Manor and seized any and all Dark Artifacts they could find including those that had been hidden. Lucius had not been stupid. With the fall of the Dark Lord and the certainty that Voldemort was dead this time, the body had been proof enough, he was more than willing to switch sides again. He was cunning and clever at keeping his head just above water, prompting him to turn over the evil totems that inhabited the manor. His willingness to cooperate had gone a long way to ensuring that his family kept their freedom from Azkaban.

The Malfoy fortune thankfully had not depended on his father's job, which was the only reason they were able to continue to reside in Malfoy Manor and enjoy the lifestyle to which they had been accustomed. But all the money in the world could not replace the injustice he now suffered where he went.

The Malfoy name had been feared, revered and respected previously. Draco had enjoyed the prestige and power that had grown adults fawning over him as a teenager. It was a heady thing power, something easily abused and why shouldn't it be? Other witches and wizards lived so far beneath his lifestyle he never gave them any more thought than he gave a bug crushed under his boot heel. If someone got in Draco's way, he would just run over them without regard for his actions and consequences.

What did he care what others thought of his behavior? It was the only life he'd known and the only life he'd wanted to know. But all that was changed now.

Now the poorest witch on the street would spit on his boots rather than quake and tremble in fear at the sight of him. Draco's sharp looks, blonde hair and cold grey eyes had inspired terror in those beneath him, most dropping their eyes rather than meet the gaze of the former Death Eater. But now that the Malfoy name had been drug through the mud as his mother would say, those eyes lifted in challenge and dared to cast scornful glances his way, as if he were mud beneath their boots.

He hated it. He preferred their fear over this newfound nerve and daring they now showed him in disrespect. The name calling when he walked down the street, things thrown at him when his back was turned; they did all of it now. He hated it with a vengeance and swore that he'd have his revenge. He was going to make sure the Malfoy name rose in favor again. If it was the last thing he did, he'd make them all pay for casting ill looks upon his personage.

Draco was currently seated in the study at Malfoy manor, sprawled on a dark black leather sofa with an open Daily Prophet in his hands. The news article that had caught his eye announced that the Ministry of Magic had selected new Aurors in training. Draco was highly disgusted to see Neville Longbottom's name in the list. He had expected Harry Potter, that suffocating prat, to be selected along with Ron Weasley, but the sight of the clumsiest idiot that Gryffindor ever spit out, had managed to irritate him beyond anything else. Neville Longbottom enjoying a hero status. Draco snorted. "What is this world coming to when they let the lowest of the low in," he growled out loud to the room.

Draco flipped the page and was reading an article about the rebuild efforts now that the war was over, when he became aware of a disturbance in the entry hallway. Voices reached his ears.

"No! You must not disturb the masters! You don't belong here!" That was Neecy the house elf screeching to someone. Draco reached for the handle of the door when it suddenly flew open.

Draco barely had time to register green eyes, disheveled hair and those stupid spectacles that Harry always wore when the Auror in training shouted, "_Stupefy_!" his wand sending Draco flying across the study, crashing into a wall and sliding down to the floor. Neecy squeaked and with a loud crack disapparated.

The momentary stun was not enough apparently. Draco barely had time to wonder why Harry Potter was in his house attacking him, _Did he go around the bend?_ His thought barely registered before Harry threw himself on top of Draco and his fist connected with the former Slytherin's nose. Blood spurted, bone cracked and as the Stupefy wore off, Draco yelled bringing his fist up to knock into the side of Harry's head his glasses falling askew.

"You leech!" Harry was yelling his hands going around Draco's throat. Draco wondered once more if Harry had gone off his trump. He was calling Draco every cursed name there ever was and strangling so tightly, liquid began stream from Dracos' reddened eyes. He scrabbled at Harry's hands trying to pry them off where they cut off his oxygen supply.

"_Stupefy!" _

Harry was hit with a blast from behind. His hands loosened from around Draco's neck and he fell sideways on the floor. Draco rolled away from Harry, coughing and choking as his lungs tried to draw back in the much needed air through passageways that felt bruised beaten. He lay on his side, chest heaving, even as Narcissa Malfoy ran over to check on her son. Blood from his broken nose dripped onto the carpet and he nearly gagged as some of it dripped down the back of his throat.

Lucius Malfoy was behind his wife and he strode over to where Harry lay on the floor. Turning him over Lucius seemed rather calm in the face of this boy who represented all they had lost. "Well Mr. Potter," his voice was casual but carried a threat behind it as usual. "I do hope you have a very good reason for trespassing in my home."

Draco had finally caught his breath, his hand rubbing at his throat. His mother was trying to stem he flow of blood from his broken nose with the hem of his shirt. "'e's a nudder!" he exclaimed to his father, his words punctuated nasally thanks to his broken nose. "'e would a killed me!"

The stupefy spell was starting to wear off as Harry began to move, rolling over to his feet. He growled, "I should have let you die in that room!" No need to ask what room he meant. Draco paled, remembering the Fiend Fyre and how Crabbe had died there. "You're no better than scum Draco!" His voice was almost hysterical. He lunged at Draco again but Lucius prevented him from getting to Draco by grabbing his shoulders.

"Potter!" Lucius yelled into his face. "Stop this right now!"

Narcissa said a spell to repair Draco's broken nose. She tried to wipe the blood as best she could and helped her son to her feet. "He's nutter!" Draco repeated staring at Harry with fear on his pointed features.

Narcissa examined Harry. He was many things, but he was not a candidate for St. Mungos mental ward. He was staring at Draco with a mixture of hatred and loathing on his face, not something she had seen for anyone even Voldemort. Her voice was firm when she said, "Mr. Potter. You have trespassed in my home and attempted to murder my son. I suggest you tell me why you have done this or your new status as an Auror in training will be over before it has begun." Yes, Narcissa Malfoy had read the Prophet.

Her words seemed to calm Harry down a bit. He was still staring at Malfoy as if he'd like to have his hands around his neck again, but he was no longer struggling against Lucius' hold on him. His jaw set and he spat out, "Fine!"

Draco in the meantime stared at his mum incredulously. "He attacked me!" he gestured to Harry. "Call the ministry right now! He needs to be arrested!"

Narcissa gave Draco her most sternest look and he knew that to be her _Don't cross me _gaze. Just like his father Lucius, Draco knew when not to overstep around Narcissa. She was a formiddable woman when she wanted to be. He shut his mouth, his lips thinning into a disapproving pout but he didn't complain further.

Lucius had raised a pale brow in question at his wife's word. She silently looked back at him and Draco wondered at the way they could seem to silently communicate with each other. No words were spoken as Lucius took Harry Potter by the arm and began to walk him out down the hall towards the Drawing Room.

His mother put her hand on the crook of his elbow saying, "Let's go Draco. We need to settle this matter." 

Once they were all seated at the long table in the drawing room, Draco crossed his arms and said in his meanest voice, "So let's have it then Potter. Think you're big now that you're training to be an Auror?" He sneered at Harry who glared from his seat.

"You Duffer! You belong in Azkaban!" Harry's threats were annoying the hell out of Draco who tried to surmise what he was doing here.

"That's enough," Narcissa's voice cut across the room. "Draco do not speak." She gave him a swift glare which cut off the retort he'd been about to make. "Mr. Potter, why are you here?"

Draco could see Harry's expression change. Not only was his face filled with fury, but it was agonized as if he did not even want to think about what he was going to say. His eyes never left Draco's face as he said, "Draco raped Luna Lovegood."

Of all the things Potter could say, that was not something Draco would have ever guessed would come from his lips. "What?" he felt laughter bubble up from his chest. Here was the proof that Potter was mad.

"You raped Luna!" Harry stood from his chair and slammed his hands down on the table. "While she was imprisoned here, he raped her!" Harry stabbed a finger at Draco while looking at Narcissa, his green eyes flashing with accusation at her as well.

"I did no such thing!" Draco spat out, standing to his feet as well. "That creature is a squashed cabbage leaf! Who'd want to touch her?"

Harry would have leapt the table again and started to strangle Draco if not for Lucius's restraining hand when he lurched forward. Draco had skittered back, knocking into his chair when Harry had moved. He glared at Harry instead of blaming himself for his own cowardice at the action.

Narcissa hadn't moved from her seat during the accusation. She had steepled her index fingers together and was staring at Harry intently with her blue eyes. "She has told you this Mr. Potter?" Her voice was quite calm as she asked the question.

Draco turned his head to stare unbelieving at his mother. Surely she didn't believe this lie! He was outraged by Harry's accusation because he knew it to be false!

Harry looked conflicted for a moment and then said, "No." He looked like he wanted to say something completely different but he'd always told the truth. His gaze looked down at the table and for a moment his fur was gone, replaced by that a sorrow that would cut a man in half to see it.

Narcissa raised a brow at Harry's words. He wasn't looking at Narcissa, but Draco was, and from the surprise in her eyes, she looked like she suspected the answer would have been affirmative. She seemed to be relieved as she took control of the situation because she said to Harry, "Then I suggest you refrain from attacking my son Mr. Potter. If Miss Lovegood has not told you this lie you propose, I am curious how you are making these false allegations."

Harry looked up, his eyes blazing with fury again. He opened his mouth, shut it and then said "That's my business not yours Mrs. Malfoy." He glared at her and then turned his gaze on Draco.

"Obviously she's been telling him lies," Draco crossed his arms and scowled at Harry. "Bleedin' stupid you are Potter. I wouldn't touch Looney Lovegood with a ten foot pole!"

"I know it was you!" Harry shouted his voice carrying across the large drawing room.

Draco sneered. "You could pump a hundred truth serums in me Potter," he said scathingly, "And I still wouldn't have touched that horribly low girl!"

Harry did leap then, throwing himself across the table, landing on Draco. He did not use his wand, more ready to use his fists almost like his cousin Dudley. Draco was using his fists as well. It took Narcissa and Lucius both to get them to separate.

"Mr. Potter!" It was Narcissa who got Harry's attention allowing Draco to get back to his feet. "Call the ministry!" he bellowed. Harry had landed a punch to his cheek that was going to swell and turn nasty in the morning. He was pleased to see his punch to Harry's mouth had landed, his split lip puffy and bleeding.

"No!" Narcissa's hand slashed the air as she said, "Draco, cease talking!" She turned to regard Harry who had been trapped by Lucius once again, only this time Lucius had his wand pointed at Potter's throat.

"Lucius. See Mr. Potter to the door." She gave the instruction once and then said, "Do not come back here rashly unless you are prepared to bring the Ministry with you." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Lucius removed Harry from the drawing room. He yelled on his way out, "You will all pay for what you did to her!"

Draco put his hand to his cheek. "Bloody hell Mum," he grumbled and then yelled, "You should have called the Ministry! He's a fuckin' Auror and he's nutters! He's got to be reported!"

"Shut up Draco." Narcissa cast him a withering look and then said in her coldest voice. "Leave it be." She turned to leave the drawing room, her robes billowing out behind her.

Draco was taken aback. His mum always coddled him, fussed over him and gave him pretty much whatever he wanted. This cold treatment he was not used to.

Sulkily he bellowed, "NEECY!"

When the house elf apparated into the drawing room, squeaking nervously he demanded ice be brought to him from her. He sat back down in a chair, glaring at the point where his Mum had just left.

Her behavior on the whole towards him was odd. First she had looked as if she believed Potter, not even defending Draco against the lie with a protest or denial. Then she had all but asked him to bring the ministry in with him to prove it. What the hell was up with that?

"Shut it, I did not touch that girl!" Draco snarled slamming his fist on the table. She had been a dirty, disgusting little creature, sniveling in the darkest corner of the basement. Plus she was a supporter and friend of Harry Potter. Even Draco had better taste than to want something like that.

But he had seen that look in his mum's eyes. She had been afraid of Harry's reply to her question. And he didn't miss that look of relief. What the hell was she hiding?

**-HP-**

Draco had waited over a week for his mother to explain herself. He had dropped subtle hints at breakfast and dinner. The only time he couldn't bother her was during the day because Draco was busy assisting his father with building a new business. His father was never one to be idle and so had decided to put his society contacts to use as an entrepreneur.

Narcissa was growing impatient with her son's questions, his pouting and even his fury when she refused to talk. At one point even Lucius had snapped, "Draco! Let it go!" That had been an admission on Lucius' part that he must know the reason for his mother's strange behavior.

So on Tuesday Draco had watched his father leave the house without him. He had told his father he had was going to spend time with Goyle and Pansy Parkinson. That had only been half true. He was going to meet them later that evening but at the moment he had other plans in mind.

His mother was going to take her morning tea in the sitting room off the library. Draco had intercepted Neecy on the way there. Taking the tray from the elf's hands he snapped for her to wait a moment and to be silent.

Draco set the tray down and removed a small bottle from inside his pocket. He opened the cap and poured a small amount of liquid into the tea pitcher. Corking the remainder he slid the bottle back into his pocket. Looking at Neecy he instructed, "You are not to tell my mother what you just saw. If she asks you any questions about this tea, you must tell her it is the same tea you always serve her. You are forbidden to speak of anything else and you will give her this tray, this teapot and this tea that is currently inside the teapot. You will do nothing to stop this Neecy." The elf whimpered but since it was an order given with too many explicit instructions, she would have to obey him.

She picked up the tray and continued into the room just past the library albeit slower than she had been. When a house elf didn't want to do something they could be a troublesome lot. Draco followed her stopping in the doorway to regard his mother's pale blonde head.

"Neecy where have you been?" Narcissa turned to regard the doorway upon hearing the elf come in. "Oh it's you Draco," her eyes lit upon his figure in the door. "Good morning." She looked hesitant about his appearance there, no doubt expecting some questions.

"Good morning Mum," Draco leaned against the doorway regarding her with his cool grey eyes. She glanced from him to the elf who had set the tray down on the table. "Is that my morning tea Neecy?" As he expected, his mother was already subtly questioning the elf, expecting to hear the elf tattletell if he had done something to it.

Neecy looked at Narcissa Malfoy. Draco could see the elf was quaking but since house elves always acted like stupidly skittish creatures around the pureblood Malfoys it could not seem much different than normal. She answered exactly as Draco had told her. "It is the same tea I always serve you Ma'am."

Narcissa was watching Draco as Neecy answered. He maintained his air of casual indifference through her scrutiny, having gotten quite good at pretending that emotion during the time Voldemort occupied their home. "I came to tell you I'm going to Madame Malkin's to pick out new robes and going to Gringotts to sign the paperwork they sent notice about last week." He crossed his arms in front of him and raised his brow. "Is there anything you want to tell me before I leave?"

She stared directly into his eyes and lied. "No." Narcissa made a dismissive way with her hands saying, "Go on then Draco." Neecy handed the saucer and cup of tea to Narcissa that she had prepared. Narcissa took the cup and held it in her hands looking into its contents. Draco made sure his gaze went nowhere to the cup as she lifted her eyes quickly, checking his reaction.

Shouldering himself off the door frame he said, "You disappoint me Mother." He had taken to telling her that at the end of every conversation, something he knew needled her effectively, adding on the guilt of not sharing her secret. Blandly he added, "Have a good day then." He walked away from the library.

He gave her ten minutes. During those ten minutes he was clever in making it appear that he had disappeared from the manor, even going so far as to wak outside and apparate. He did not go far though, landing in the gardens directly behind the manor. He had chosen a spot that he could hide, but that offered him a view of Narcissa sitting in the library behind the window glass.

To his delight, she drank the tea.

Neecy had poured a second cup when Draco apparated back into the library, startling the elf into dropping nearly dropping the kettle and causing Narcissa to jump. The kettle clattered onto the tray and Narcissa looked up at her son her blue eyes wide at his reappearance.

"Draco that was entirely disagreeable. You know you're not to apparate inside the house. Did you forget something?" Narcissa frowned at him.

"Yes," Draco drew his wand, pointed it at his mother saying, "_Immobulus!"_ She was immediately frozen to her spot on the chair. Neecy had started to scuttle off and Draco said, "Neecy!" His commanding voice stopped the elf in her tracks as he said, "Go to the kitchen and you will stay there until I say you are allowed to leave. Do not tell any of the other elves to come here to help my mother nor can you tell them to contact my father or anyone to help her." Draco did not want any rescue for his mother at this time.

Neecy squeaked but the master's word was law and so she disappeared to do as she was told. Draco sat down in the high wingbacked chair opposite of his mother. He propped his elbow on the arm of the chair, placing his chin in the L shaped formed by his thumb and forefinger of his hand. He regarded her with hooded eyes before saying, "You drove me to this Mum. You could have told me the truth all week."

She couldn't speak while she was under the spell but Draco needed her to speak so he said another spell to bind her with ties from his wand tip and then removed the immobulus spell. She began to struggle immediately on the bonds saying, "Draco. This is unforgivable! How dare you do this me! Who gave birth to you?"

"Shut it Mother!" He pointed his wand at her and said, "I gave you every opportunity to tell me and this is brought upon yourself by you!" At that moment he reminded Narcissa so much of Lucius she fell silent in surprise. "So you intend to torture it out of me?" she asked her son, her eyes narrowing in challenge.

Draco laughed, but it was a strained sound and his words were equally harsh as he said, "If you won't tell me the truth the Veritaserum you swallowed will."

Narcissa's eyes widened as she realized the truth. She looked at her teacup and back to Draco who nodded confirming her suspicions. Her face changed in that moment, no longer challenging him but looking very afraid and scared. "Please Draco.." she shook her head, "Don't do this." Her tongue darted out to lick her suddenly dry lips as she pleaded, "For you..it's for the best."

She looked so terrified, for a moment Draco was almost afraid. But he quelched the fear, positive that his mother knew something and he wanted to know what that was.

"Tell me," Draco stood up and leaned over her until his face was only inches from hers. His grey eyes bored holes into her blue ones. "Tell me why you looked like _Harry Potter _was telling the truth last week when I know damn well it was a lie." He sneered upon saying the name of that Gryffindor hero.

To his consternation tears began to pour from his mother's eyes. She shook her head, choking on sobs and lifted her hands to her lips, an attempt to stop the words from coming out. Angrily Draco ripped her hands from her mouth demanding, "Tell me!" 

"Because it's true!" Narcissa's words could have knocked Draco over in that one second. He reeled back as she pressed her lips together tears pouring down her cheeks freely. He had never seen his mother cry this earnestly before and it scared him as much as her words. He sat back into his chair, his expression stunned.

It couldn't be true. And yet his mother was under the influence of the Veritaserum. He was positive of that. Regarding her carefully, because he wasn't sure how to handle this weeping side, he said, "Tell me everything."

**-HP-**

Draco wanted to puke. There were very few times in his life when he wasn't sick and had wanted to throw up. The only other time he could remember this feeling was the night Moaning Myrtle had been comforting him in the 2nd floor lavatory at Hogwarts when he was trying to summon the courage to kill Albus Dumbledore.

His mother was staring at him, her eyes still awash with unshed tears. Her voice was echoing in his head with everything she had just revealed.

_"It was the night after you returned for the Easter Holiday. Your father was out that night at Voldemort's bidding. I was in the study reading, waiting for him to come home that night but I had heard something so I went to investigate."_

_"Draco you were coming out of the guest room and you were covered in scratches with blood all over your pants. Bellatrix was also there and she was laughing, taunting you. At first I thought she was the one who hurt you, torturing you perhaps, but when you turned towards me, I could see you were under the Imperius curse." _

_"She said it was to teach the witch a lesson for lying and hiding Harry Potter and his friends. She used you Draco, oh how I wanted to curse Bellatrix for using you like a puppet! We had a row right there over it. If she hadn't been the Dark Lord's favorite I think I might have killed her myself that moment sister or not." _

_"I healed your wounds and sent you to bed my darling. Bellatrix removed the curse after you went to sleep. I went into the room where the girl was being kept and took her to the cellar. I wanted to use a spell to take her memory away but Bellatrix wanted her to remember the pain. I thought perhaps I could remove the memory later but as you know the next day she was taken with Mr. Ollivander by Harry Potter."_

_"I had hoped that perhaps she would have died in the Battle at Hogwarts. Nobody would ever need know. When we were charged with all those crimes but that one did not show up in the list I was so relieved. I thought the entire ordeal was over and done with. You wouldn't have to know what your aunt had done to you and to her."_

Draco hunched over and heaved. He hadn't eaten breakfast and the dry heaves he was experiencing hurt his chest and scarred his throat. His mother's story had horrified him.

He wanted to call her a liar, to tell her it couldn't possibly be true. He was many things but a rapist and murderer could not be included in that list of names. It wasn't possible. But even as he sat there, hanging his head between his hands, a vague memory stirred in him of the day he had returned from Hogwarts at Easter.

_Bellatrix had taken him down to the cellar and shown him the prisoners he hadn't seen since Christmas time. Mr. Ollivander had been near death's door, his skin so sallow and sickly, stretched across brittle bones that at first Draco had thought the old man was dead already. Then the old man had stirred feebly showing there was life still in the frail body._

_He had seen Luna Lovegood. Her hair was a tangled rat's nest, her grey eyes large with dark round circles. Her complexion had been sallow like Ollivander's, from lack of sunlight and she smelled of unwashed body odors. He had curled his lip up in a sneer and covered his nose at her scent._

_His aunt had revealed her plan for him to toture Luna, taking the girl and hurting her mentally and physically. He had stared at her before yelling, "Are you mad Auntie? She's disgusting! There is no way I'd touch her let alone sleep with her!"_

_Bellatrix's lips curled upward in a sneer and in anger at the word 'mad'. She had been on the receiving end of that word too many times. Her fist struck out, hitting Draco as she said, "Don't ever use that word with me boy!"_

Draco pushed his blonde hair backwards, his eyes raising to his mother's face. The expression of horror on lingering on his face she had seen so many times in her dreams, which is why she had hoped never to have to tell him of this.

"Please say something Draco," she pleaded. Watching him go through this without being able to comfort him was killing her. She damned the person who created the Veritaserum potion.

"What would you have me say Mum?" Draco was back to using the more familiar term with her. He looked at his mother, his grey eyes beginning to fill with anger. "You keep this from me for months and now I learn that not only did my Aunt use an Imperius curse on me but she forced me to sexually assault someone?" He felt the bile rising in his throat again just saying the words.

"You were raped too Draco," his mother's tears began again as she whispered this. "Not just the Lovegood girl but you too."

"No Wizengamot in this world will ever see it that way!" Draco roared. He stood up, picking up the tea kettle and throwing it across the room to release his pent up anger which was beginning to build. He felt helpless, knowing he had been unable to control the situation as he usually did and those feelings made him angry. Narcissa flinched when the china kettle smashed against the wall, breaking, tea dripping down the wallpaper.

Sitting back down in the chair, Draco's shoulders slumped as he cursed, "Damn Bellatrix to hell and may she rest there always." His eyes lifted to his mother as his voice accused, "And damn _you_ for not telling me!"

He flicked his wand at her, the binding ropes disappearing. Narcissa got up rushing over to Draco as he hid his head in his hands and whispered, "And damn me too."

-HP-

Draco never made it to Goyle's party. His mother tried to spend the afternoon consoling him. They had talked, they had argued; Draco had finally called Neecy from the kitchens to clean up the mess he had made with the tea tray.

He and his mother were currently arguing over whether he was going to turn himself over to the Ministry or not.

"Mum if Harry Potter was here it's only a matter of time before they show up," Draco had said. He didn't want to turn himself in by any means, but he would rather know he was being incarcerated, rather than having to wait for a hammer to fall down on his head.

"But Draco you heard him," Narcissa said. "He doesn't know for sure it was you, he only suspects it because you're convenient to lay blame upon." When he cast her a withering look she said, "Well you two are blatant enemies."

"Besides" she added, "He doesn't even know the entire story." She looked puzzled by that and then said, "I don't suppose the Lovegood girl would want to speak to him about that."

Draco didn't want to speak of it either. He felt violated, humiliated and didn't know who to trust. His own mother had been lying to him for months, his father had been lying for at least a week he knew, and his aunt had been a mad woman. If Bellatrix wasn't dead already by Molly Weasley's hand he would kill her himself. The urge to kill Dumbledore that he had lacked, because it had been necessitated by the Dark Lord's orders, was suddenly in full drive towards his aunt, because of the anger he felt at her manipulations.

"We have to know what she's said Draco," his mother said to him. He looked up at her. Narcissa Malfoy was a Black through and through. She possessed the same cleverness as her sister Bellatrix, but thankfully lacked the obsessive looney gene that had manifested itself in his aunt. "We'll have to get the Lovegood girl here again and question her." 

Draco felt a lurch in his gut. He knew his mother's words to be true, but he wasn't certain he could face the Lovegood girl. It was one thing to stew in his own misery and curse his aunt for what she did. But it was another thing to face the second party of this machination; the one who could remember what had occured that night. He feared her reaction to him most of all.

But it had to be done. After a small argument ensued over the distinct possibility of kidnapping Luna Lovegood again, his mother had made it clear there was no argument on this. They had to find out what the girl had said.

The question now was, how did they find her and how do they take her?


	5. Chapter 5

_The Greatest Gift In The World Is Being Daddy's Girl; I'll Always Be Daddy's Girl_

_The Burrow_

Luna didn't want to share the news with her father. She feared his reaction to the fact she was pregnant. She thought it would break his heart. But she had to tell him sooner rather than later and putting it off was unthinkable according to Mrs. Weasley.

Luna didn't tell him in the parchment she had tied to Pigwidgeon before sending him off to find her father. She felt that saying it in person was better. She half hoped the owl got lost on the way to her father, but that wasn't going to be fair to him. The note she wrote was simple and short.

_Daddy,_

_Please come visit me at the Burrow within the week if you can. I need to talk to you about an urgent matter as soon as possible._

_Love,_

_Luna_

She should have worded it a bit better. Describing it as an urgent matter had apparently frightened her father because she didn't receive a reply note. Instead, Xenophilius had apparated onto the back doorstep of the Burrow, her letter in his clutched fist, knocking insistently and calling out, "Luna? Luna what's the matter? Are you in there? Are you ill? Have you got my Luna in there? Answer me Luna!"

Luckily most of the family was gone when he appeared so only Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were on hand to hear the racket he was making. Mrs. Weasley had opened the door scolding, "Calm down 'Philius. Luna's upstairs taking a small nap." It had become a frequent thing, the blonde girl getting tired in the early afternoon and laying down.

"What? Napping in the middle of the afternoon? So she is ill!" Xenophilius looked up at the ceiling as if he might try to look through it and see his daughter's condition.

"No no," Mrs. Weasley was quick to assure. "Oh do come in. Ginevra dear, go put on a pot of tea for our guest." She sent Ginny over to the stove and said, "Come inside 'Philius and sit down. Luna went down nearly an hour ago and she'll likely be up soon." Hustling him into the living room she put him to the overstuffed sofa.

"I was in Belford when I got this letter from Luna," Xenophilius's dark eyes were filled with worry. "Is something wrong?"

That explained the tartan kilt. Molly had wondered why Xenophilisu was wearing a maroon and navy blue plaid kilt with a dark brown shirt under the tartan sash that ran across his chest. She noted with some humor that his sash was pinned to his shoulder with a brooch made from dirigible plums, the orange radishy fruit Luna liked to wear in her ears sometimes. "I think you should talk with Luna," she told him. "Why don't we have a bit of tea while we wait for her and you can tell me how the rebuild is going in Scotland."

**-HP-**

When Luna woke up, she could hear voices down the stairs talking. Leaving the room she shared with Ginny, the smell of chamomile tea hit her nose. She smiled, knowing Mrs. Weasley had probably made that especially for her. It was supposed to help the nausea that Luna suffered, particularly when she first woke up.

As she descended the steps, she heard a familiar masculine voice that stopped her just the foot of the stairs in the kitchen. Her heart leapt in her chest, wanting to go throw herself in those familiar arms, have him hug her, pet her hair and tell her everything would be alright. Her father had done just that after she had seen her Mum die and it had calmed her down then. She wished it would work now just as easily.

She took a breath and then stepped off the last stair into the kitchen. She paused long enough to pour a cup of tea for herself and hear Mrs. Weasley ask, "Luna is that you? Your father is here."

She held the warm mug between her hands which had suddenly gotten cold. She answered, "Yes, I'm coming in there." She convinced her knees to stop shaking and walked forward. Why was she so nervous?

Entering the living room, her father immediately stood, looking her over. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny's head swiveled towards her. Luna paused, a feeling like she was facing a firing squad washing over her. Even when she had faced the Weasley family and Harry that night a week and a half ago it didn't feel like this. Maybe it had been easier then because she had still been in shock.

She had come to terms with the news in the past week which is why she had written her father. And now he was here and she found that her knees still wouldn't do her justice to stand together straight. _Luna Lovegood calm down. You survived curses, torture and worse. You can do this._

"Are you alright Luna?" Her father came over, his eyes still looking her over for any signs of injury. "I came as soon as I got your letter. What's this urgent matter?"

Luna set her mug down on a coaster on the table. She took her father's hand drawing him back to the overstuffed sofa. "May we have a moment?" she glanced at Mrs. Weasley and Ginny who both nodded their ginger heads and went to the kitchens. It wasn't alot of privacy but it would do.

Her father watched the two Weasley's leave before turning in his seat to give her his fullest attention. "What's this about?" he asked.

"Daddy what are you wearing?" Luna found herself momentarily distracted as she looked over the same clothes Mrs. Weasley had been eyeballing earlier. She had never seen her father in a Scottish kilt before and with his long, wild blonde hair, he looked like he had wandered off the set of some Scottish clan movie. She rather liked it on him.

"It's a kilt. I was in Belford," He explained. "We were actually having a drink at the pub when that owl flew in with your letter." When the Lovegoods visited other lands, they liked to dress up in the local custom. They felt they fit in better that way, nevermind Scotland didn't wear kilts daily anymore.

Luna touched the tartan sash saying, "I like it. I think I'd like one like this."

"Luna," her father said gaining her attention by grasping her chin and turning her gaze away from the sash up to his eyes. "Are you going to tell me why you sent this letter?" He tapped her gently on the nose with the rolled scroll.

Luna looked up at him and her grey eyes seemed impossibly large and sorrowful as she said, "Daddy I have to tell you something...please don't get mad."

No parent on earth ever wants to hear those words out of their child.

-HP-

To Xenophilius' credit when Luna told him about the rape and the pregnancy, and when his daughter starting to leak silent tears from her eyes, he had immediately pulled her into a giant bear hug, stroked her hair and whispered, "It's alright Luna munchkin. It's going to be alright."

That was just what Luna needed to hear and she began to cry even harder, though this time happy tears. Her father always spoke the truth so if he said it was going to be alright, she had the faith that it would be so. He was never wrong. _Ever._

She drew back from him and was unable to stop herself from asking, "You're not angry?" Her luminous grey eyes were huge and filled with worry as she looked at him.

"Angry?" Xenophilius looked down at her and said, "Of course I'm angry Luna," his voice was ironic to his words, completely calm and full of warmth for her. "I'd like to go over right now and lay a curse on every Malfoy head that lives in that house. Especially their son."

"Daddy, please don't say that," Luna shook her head. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and said, "I don't even know what happened. Harry keeps insisting it had to be Draco Malfoy but.." her voice trailed off as she looked down at her hands clasped in her lap.

When she didn't finish her thought right away, her father prompted, "But..?"

Luna's eyes had taken on a far off look, the same look her mother used to have when she was trying to solve a particuarly puzzling potion. Xenophilius recognized it and waited patiently for his daughter to answer. When she finally spoke, she asked a question that neither of them could answer.

"Draco Malfoy couldn't kill Albus Dumbldore at the weakest moment of his entire life." She looked at her father and asked, "So how could that same boy turn around and do something almost as horrible to me?"

Her thumb came up to touch the bottom of her lip as she pondered this thought. She murmured, "It just doesn't make sense to me." She looked over to her father and noting his pensive expression on his face and asked, "What are you thinking Daddy?"

"I was thinking that we need to go back to St. Mungos," he told her. "They've can reverse memory spells with the right potion and spell combinations."

"Yes," Luna nodded in agreement. She informed him, "I was sent to be checked out by a mental healer the same day I found out about the baby. They confirmed my memory was altered. They tried retrieving the memory for me, but they came across a block and couldn't get it." She fidgeted nervously and then said, "I was told that I was the reason for the block."

"What?" Xenophilius looked at her incredulously. Luna nodded her head and said, "I felt the same way Daddy until they explained it to me. It's quite interesting to hear." She proceeded to explain it to him.

"Memories are created by instances with emotions. The stronger your emotions, the stronger your memory is of the events which take place in your life. When faced with traumatic memories people have been known to suffer nervous breakdowns, memory loss, physical ailments, all sorts of problems because the emotional stress is too much for them. Forgetting is a coping mechanism for some people, like me," she indicated herself. "Or so they told me. No matter how many spells the healers tried, they told me that until I am ready to face my own memory it will not come back."

Xenophilius hugged her again, holding his daughter close. He leaned his cheek upon her hair and said, "When it does come back I'll be here for you dear." He added one more thing, his voice sounding quite firm and a little bit savage as he promised, "I'll be certain to make the Malfoys answer for their treatment of you!"

Luna felt herself smile at the image in her head of her father, particularly in his current attire, avenging the honor of his only daughter. She butted her head affectionately against his shoulder asking, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

He smiled at his only girl, affection shining from his dark eyes, "I love you too. Never doubt that my little munchkin."

"Daddy I'm not little anymore," she reminded him, a smile hovering on her lips now that she'd been reassured the person most dear to her in this world, did not hold her in contempt for her situation she was in.

"Pish tosh," her father ruffled her hair and said staunchly, "You'll always be my little munchkin."

-HP-

They stayed together that afternoon talking. Xenophilius listened as Luna discussed the options the medi-witch had given her regarding the situation she was in. She could either stay pregnant, abort it using a potion or even possibly give it up for adoption to some wizarding family who couldn't have children.

"And what would you like to do?" Her father had asked her this. He had one arm around her shoulder, she was leaning against him talking and he was still soothing her hair back which had gone along way to relaxing her.

"I don't know Daddy," Luna placed her hand on the small lump of belly fat that protruded beneath her shirt. It still seemed almost unreal that this little bump would continue to expand as a life grew inside of her. "I still think I'm going to wake up from a dream; that this isn't real," she explained looking up at him. "I don't even have the memory of how this happened which is why it's so hard to believe this even _could_ be happening." She paused and then said, "I don't think I could kill this baby." Just thinking about it caused her throat to close up and her chest to tighten painfully.

He pulled her closer in a side-hug and then bemoaned, "Oh my Luna, we'll figure it out somehow munchkin. Yes, we will, you and I." He paused in thought for a moment and then told her, "The Belford rebuild is over in three weeks. Once we finish I'm coming back home and you're staying with me." When Luna started to object he said, "No Luna. Don't say a word. I'm going to petition the ministry to step up our housing rebuild and I'm coming back here to be with you." Raising a finger to her lip he said, "Now don't you protest young lady." 

Luna snapped her mouth shut, in point of fact she had meant to protest. She knew most witches and wizards were in need of rebuild assistance and her father's volunteering was extremely helpful in the long haul. But, in her inner most heart she wanted to leap for joy. She had missed her father so much. They had a special bond, one that had deepened since her mother died. Her life wasn't complete without him nearby. She looked up at him and said, "Okay Daddy, whatever you think is best." She reached out to hug him tight again.

There was a tap on the doorway to the living room. Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat and said, "Excuse me for interrupting but it's nearly time for Arthur and the boys to come home for dinner. Will you be staying with us 'Philius?"

**-HP-**

During the course of dinner, Luna managed to obtain permission from her father to visit Gringotts to perform a monetary exchange. She was going with Ginny and Fleur to London to go shopping and needed Muggle money. The three girls had planned the expidition via owl and Luna was looking forward to spending time with the french girl. She particularly loved how Fleur's accent rolled the english words, unlike Ginny who called it "Phlegm talk". She also found it interesting how Fleur sounded like she was speaking from the back of her throat, a trait she found in common with all french people that gave them extremely pronounced cheekbones.

Talk changed over the rebuild efforts and Mr. Lovegood proceeded to provide them with stories about the rebuilds taking place at the border between Scotland and England. He kept them amused with tales of hungover workmen, irate overseers who would scold their volunteer crews, and how they'd all end up at a pub together after someone would mention "Let's go celebrate our victory over You-know-who," at the end of every day.

It was over another of Molly Weasley's pies for dessert, boysenberry this time, that Harry Potter dared to say to Mr. Lovegood, "Sir, I'd like to talk to you about Luna."

Luna's fork hovered between her plate and her mouth, her eyes immediately pinning Harry with a questioning look. Surely he wouldn't..

Harry had come down to breakfast with a split lip, the night after the Weasley family had found out about her. He had shrugged it off as nothing when everyone asked him what happened but Luna had her suspicions. For the past week after dinner he'd been trying to convince her she needed to press charges against the Malfoy family.

She had told him no just as many times as he'd asked. Without her memory, she wasn't willing to send an innocent person to Azkaban. Her father had told her of the inhumane treatment inside the prison and she, herself had witnessed many times the terrible actions of the dementors. She wouldn't wish those creatures on any living thing.

"My Luna? What is it?" Xenophilius looked over at Harry a bit uncomfortably. Even though he had apologized once again for trying to turn him over to the Death Eaters, the guilt would still inhabit him until he cocked his toes up and left this world.

Harry pressed on as if he couldn't sense the unblinking stare she had fixed upon him with her enormous grey eyes. "Well sir, I wanted to talk to you about pressing charges against the Malfoy family for Improper use of Magic against your daughter resulting in her current condition."

Luna set her fork down, her face impassive. Mrs. Weasly and Mr. Weasley had paused at Harry's announcement, looking shocked that he had dared ask. Ron was nodding his head in agreement and Ginny was glaring daggers between her boyfriend and her brother for bringing the subject up.

Xenophilius dabbed at his mouth, his eyes on Harry before turning and saying to Mrs. Weasley, "Molly that was the best dessert I've had in a while. You'll have to give my Luna your recipe for it. I'm sure she'd share her gulping plimpie soup recipe in return." He acted as if Harry hadn't spoken, but Luna knew he was collecting his thought on the matter.

Mrs. Weasley murmured an agreement even as Harry asked, "Don't you care about making the Malfoys pay for what they've done to her?" The expression of outrage on his face showed he felt that Mr. Lovegood was ignoring the matter entirely.

Mr. Lovegood's eyes instantly landed on Harry pinning him with a look that spoke of _exactly_ how he felt in the matter. The anger that blazed in his dark eyes screamed volumes that his tone of voice did not as he said, "I assure you Mr. Potter I want to see justice done."

"However," he continued when Harry opened his mouth to speak more, "My Luna is a very sweet, brave, trusting girl who can make her own decisions regarding this matter." Xeno reached over to where Luna sat, brushing a lock of hair off her forehead. His voice got emotional as he said, "Though I wish this had never happened to her, she has told me that she will not bring any charges against _anyone _while there is still a grain of doubt about what occurred." His gaze shot to Harry and his voice became firm as he said, "I trust you will respect her decision Mr. Potter."

Luna couldn't have been more pleased that her father had stood up for her. She knew Harry was worried about her and she felt a modicum of happiness that he worried so much, but at the same time it hurt her that he was so insistent on forcing her to make accusations and he was running roughshod over her feelings.

Harry started to speak, "But-" He was interruped by a discreet _THUMP_ under the table that caused him to jump slightly.

"Well said Miss Weasley," Mr. Lovegood commented vaguely to Ginny who had kicked Harry's shin under the table. Luna pressed her lips together to keep from laughing even as Mrs. Weasley admonished, "Ginny young ladies do not kick guests under the table."

"Harry's practically family Mum!"

"You're not helping Ron."

-HP-

After dinner Luna had to make her goodbyes to her father who was returning to Belford with the promise he'd be back as soon as he could so they could rebuild their house.

She wrapped her arms around him, burying her nose in his shoulder saying, "I miss you so much Daddy. Please be careful."

"I will." He hugged her back and then held her out at arm's length to look down at her belly saying, "And you little one," he addressed her stomach, "You be kind to your Mum and stop making her sick or else Granddad will have to scold you."

Luna let out a peal of laughter, her head tossing back as she enjoyed the first good laugh she'd had in a what felt like a long time. She leaned forward for one more hug and promised, "We'll both be good Daddy." She stepped back and a tear slipped down her cheek as she said, "Good bye."

"Good-bye munchkin," he stroked the tear away from her cheek and then apparated with a crack away from the Burrow.

She stared at the spot he had left from, tears slipping down her cheek. She didn't know when Ginny joined her outside, but eventually she felt a hand on her arm. She turned to see the redhead looking at her.

Wiping the tears from her cheek she told Ginny, "You shouldn't have kicked Harry. He's going to be quite upset with you."

Ginny waved a hand and said, "He'll get over it." She said, "I know why he's doing it. He's told me he feels like it's his fault, like they should have tried to find you once they found out you'd been taken." Her warm brown eyes shone with sadness as she told Luna, "They assumed you were in Azkaban like the others who'd been imprisoned."

Luna nodded. "It's only logical to think that," she assured Ginny. She wrapped her arms close to her chest tucking her hands under her arms. "And I do understand that Harry wants to help me.." she looked at Ginny and said, "But I'm not sure I'm ready to be helped."

Ginny nodded. "That's why I kicked him," she looked sheepish as she said, "He wants to help, but he's going about it badly. Now don't get me wrong. I'd love to see Malfoy strung up by his testicles if he's the one that did this to you." Luna raised a brow at her vehement tone. "But if you need time to remember what you're forgetting then Harry needs to give you your space." 

Luna nodded her head. "Thank you Ginny." She leaned forward and hugged her friend briefly. "I am glad that you and Harry are both my best friends in this whole world."

Ginny smiled. She joked, "That just means if the baby is a boy you'll have to name him Harry and if it's a girl you'll have to name it Ginevra." She grimaced as she said her own name. "Actually just Ginny is best."

Luna laughed, "I like Ginevra," she commented. "It's very-"

"Preppy? Uppity?"

"-beautiful," Luna finished. At Ginny's horrified look at her compliment she just grinned and said, "When you and Harry have children, you'll have to name your little girl after me." She was kidding of course. Kind of.

"Shhh!" Ginny placed a finger to her lips. "Harry and I having kids? Mum would go ballistic."

Luna grinned. "After you marry him of course," she was quick to assure. "Something just as nice as Fleur and Bill's wedding."

Ginny groaned, "Luna I don't know what you remember about that wedding but I just know Phlegm tied herself to my family for life and Death Eaters just ruined her day." Her eyes rolled upward as she joked, "Perhaps I ought to thank them."

"Ginny!" Luna was half smiling but half scolding as she said, "Fleur is a wonderful girl. Now you behave in London while we're shopping."

"Would I make a ruckus?" Ginny gave her a very innocent, _angelic-halo-over-my-head_ expression.

"Careful, your horns are peeking out," Luna told her.

**-HP-**

Luna was having a fabulous day in London. The morning had started out with using the Floo Network to travel to Diagon Alley. Once there, the girls had met up with Fleur for a spot of breakfast and then over to Gringott's once it opened to exchange their money.

Luna loved looking at Muggle money. The paper upon which it was printed was extremely colorful with portraits of British monarchs. "Do you think the Ministry would ever consider letting us charm Muggle money so the pictures could move and talk?" Luna had asked Ginny, "Perhaps then you'd have a second opinion when making a bad purchase."

Her suggestioned had gained her a laugh from Ginny and odd looks from the Goblins who had run the monetary exchange counter at Gringotts.

Once they had left Diagon Alley Fleur had told them ,"The place we are shopping at is Harrod's. They have everything you could possibly want there!"

They had flagged a cab, a very muggle thing to do, and they were ferried by car to Knightsbridge in London. Luna could feel her excitement growing. She'd never been to Harrod's before. Fleur had told her it was a big department store.

Fleur's description was a complete understatement. Harrod's was not just big, it was enormous! Seven stores, sprawled on over four acres, it was a shopping mall unto itself in one building. Stepping into the ground floor she was given a map to 'assist' with her shopping necessities.

A little overwhelmed by all of it, Luna had been more than happy to let Fleur make all their decisions.

"Our first stop is the salon for hair and makeup," Fleur's eyes were twinkling as she said, "You two are in for a treat."

Luna had looked at Ginny who had shrugged somewhat helplessly shaking her head. She had no idea what Fleur was talking about. They were escorted to the elevator and rode it to the top floor.

Their surprise, Fleur revealed, was that she was going to treat them to a makeover, getting their hair and makeup done. She had made them the appointments for all three of them. "Trust me you'll feel amazing when they are finished. Especially you Ginny." Fleur was not about to hear any protests.

Nearly two hours later they had emerged and true to Fleur's words, the Muggles had done an amazing job. Fleur who was already stunning was even more devastatingly beautiful with her silvery blonde hair pulled taught in a chignon at the back and small tendrils sweeping her temples and over her ears to fall to her short of her shoulders.

Luna had to admit Ginny looked amazing. Her slightly below shoulder length red hair had been given a few layers which had added volume to it. She'd always had a single length hair and the stylist had cut a long fringe of bangs, sweeping them in a middle part which made her brown eyes stand out on her face.

As for Luna, she'd found herself shampooed, rinsed, creamed, rinsed and hair creamed again as her stylist had tutted over her straggly ends of hair. Those had been trimmed off, Luna had declined a full length of her hair being taken off. The stylist had proceeded to blow her hair out with a thing called a hair dryer and then had tackled the length with something called curlers to give soft, loose curls to the entire length.

They had followed the hair stylings with makeup. Ginny was dubbed warmth summer tones, Luna was dubbed winter tones as was Fleur. What that meant Luna had no idea. She didn't particularly enjoy winter over much as it was too cold to be out of doors very long. She sat very still and patient while the person who was painting her face kept telling her things such as "I'm using this brown to bring out the subtle flecks of blue in your eyes."

"Oh that must be the wraskspurt reflections you're seeing there."

The makeup artist had stared at her for a moment after Luna had said that before resuming her applications. The result of the makeup was that Luna's eyes were lined in brown eyeliner, shadowed with two hues of neutral brown. Her cheeks had a dusting of shimmer and her mouth had a tiny bit of gloss on it. The makeup artist had called it a 'natural look.' She thought it looked strange to make her eyes the focus of her face. Fleur had called it sweet and sultry look. She had to talk Luna out of washing it off immediately. "Just for today Luna," she had prompted her.

Ginny's makeup made her look sweet. She had on a mixture of brown and gree shades that made her eyes look even brighter than normal. Her cheeks had been given a dusting of shadow just on the apple of her cheeks and her lips were glossed in a coral pink color. Fleur had declared, "Harry is going to be nuts at the sight of you!"

Once their looks were created it had been time to go clothes shopping. The next floor down was maternity so Luna and Fleur had stopped there to peruse through the racks. Fleur had chosen some very elegant slacks, silk tops and other "tres chic" clothes as she had called them. Luna stuck with a few denim jeans that had stretchy cloth waists that would expand as she did. She also chose some very plain, basic side-ruched colored blouses much to Fleur's chagrin.

Ginny had waited patiently while they had done their trying on and shopping, so finally they went down to the first floor where she could shop.

Fleur had gone to the shoe department leaving Luna with Ginny in the women's clothes. Luna was trying to stay close to the fittings rooms where Ginny had entered. The store was so huge, she was half afraid of getting lost and never finding either of them. By sticking close by, Ginny could find her if she got lost.

Luna was between two tall double racks, thumbing through some blouses when she heard an unfriendly voice ask, "Having a bit of fun there Lovegood?" The voice was male, cold and mocking; angry in its undertones.

The sound of his voice made her blood run cold and her feet suddenly felt glued to the ground. She didn't want to turn around and look, she knew what was behind her, but she also couldn't _not_ look. Fear swept over her, locking her legs in place, willing her body not to move. Her mind vaguely touched upon a thought that if only she were a chameleon, she'd be able to blend and become one with the racks and not be seen as long as she didn't move. It was a strange thought but it helped to snap her out of her sudden freeze.

Luna's feet were slow as she turned reluctantly, her large grey eyes meeting the narrowed, icy, enraged stare of Draco Malfoy.

**-HP-**

**Kat's Note: Thank you for the reviews and the pms! I really appreciate everyone who reads and enjoys my writing. A big special thank you goes out to my reviewer Black Tea who has unknowingly influenced some decisions I have made regarding upcoming chapters. Thank you very much!**


	6. Chapter 6

_Your Eyes Can Be So Cruel, Just As I Can Be So Cruel_

_Harrods, London_

Draco Malfoy was furious.

His week-long search for Luna Lovegood had produced no results. Bribery, extortion, threats, none of it- and he had used them all- but none of it had done anything to find her.

He had been to that poor pathetic excuse for a home in Ottery St. Catchpole. The ruins of the Lovegood home had been situated on top of a high hill, surrounded by wildflowers and tall grasses on all sides. Obviously nobody was living in the rubble, but then again he didn't know the Lovegoods all that well. Poor people tended to stick close to their homes, even ruined hovels, so he had surmised they must be living out of a tent nearby.

After a thorough search of the ruins and the surrounding property, he had determined they hadn't been there in weeks. There had been no signs of camp activity on the land. Frustrated with being thwarted so quickly at the beginning of his search, he had returned home to try other venues.

Bribery at the ministry had obtained a list of the Lovegood relatives. After several apparation trips around Britian he had determined they were not at any relative's home. That had been awkward, trying to explain why he was looking for Luna. He still shuddered at the memory of a great-aunt, a dotty old bat wearing beetle shaped earrings, coke bottle glasses, with liver spots on her hands and a neck that suffered from goiter. "Oh what a nice young man come to court our Luna," she dare to have the nerve to pat his hand affectionately.

When visiting the Lovegood extended family had turned up no sign of Luna, but had in fact induced a multitude of headaches, Draco had resorted to paying some of his lowest cohorts to keep their eyes and ears open for Luna Lovegood. She had to turn up somewhere; Diagon Alley, the Ministry, Hogsmeade, Ottery St. Catchpole, even Hogwarts - he had men posted everywhere.

In addition to his frantic search for the Lovegoods, he had spent the last near two weeks afraid the Ministry was going to come pounding down his door and cart him off to Azkaban. Vaccilitating between guilt for what had happened, anger over how he was betrayed by his aunt who claimed to love him, and his fear of being punished had caused too many sleepless nights. His mother had just commented that very morning upon the dark circles under his eyes.

He had despaired of every finding Luna Lovgood when an owl had arrived from his contact in Diagon Alley. She'd been found.

He had immediately floo'd through the network to Diagon Alley. His contact had met him there, had told him he'd seen the girl that very morning at Gringott's and had followed her into the muggle territory of London. His contact had taken him to a seven story tall building in Knightsbridge. He'd been in there for nearly an hour searching the first two floors of the building. When he finally made it to the third floor, it had only taken him moments to find her there with the redheaded Weasley and that french girl who had lost the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

Having his elusive quarry in his sight, he now had proof that Luna Lovegood was no ghost, no mere dream that had ever existed only his head. He watched the girls as they laughed and made jokes, smiled and had fun..things he had been denied for too long.

Anger bloomed in his chest as he watched Luna Lovegood laugh with her friends. It wasn't right! He was so full of fury at what happened mixed with the grief of knowing what his aunt had done, not only to him, but to her as well, and so scared for what the girl might say to cause him to lose his freedom. He had imagined her gaunt face so many times over the past weeks. She would be traumatized, she would look at him with blame in her eyes, and she would sneer as she took away his freedom and put him into Azkaban.

He did _not_ picture that she would be laughing happily, plucking hangers off a rack and handing them to Potter's girl, and then smiling at the french bitch. She acted like she didn't have a care in the world; like she didn't have Draco's life hanging in the balance waiting for an axe to fall. There was no trace of grief in her demeanor for their shared plight.

His anger had brewed until a full force gale threatened to spill over. His grey eyes had narrowed to dangerous slits, his pointed features becoming sharper and meaner with his fury. When the blonde french girl had left them, he had only minutes to wait before Ginny headed into a dressing room leaving Luna by herself.

He cut his way across the racks of clothes until he was standing behind her. His rage was a simmering pot ready to boil over in his voice as he called out to her back, "Having a bit of fun there Lovegood?"

He felt a surge of contentment when his prey froze. She was afraid of him. Good. He'd wipe those smiles off her face permanently. How _dare_ she be so carefree when he was so miserable?

She turned slowly towards him. He felt that surge of satisfaction again seeing that her hands were clenched closed around her bags and shaking slightly. He turned the full force of his glare upon her, gratified when her own gaze turned wary and fearful.

Up close, Draco could see an enormous physical difference in the girl who stood before him, and the guttersnipe who had been curled up in the cellar just a few months ago. The half starved waif with dark circles under her eyes, bruises on her person and the sallow unhealthy skin, was gone. In her place, the Lovegood girl who stood before him had a very healthy english rose complexion, fair skin that was pink and youthful. Her hair was no longer matted, dirty and tangled, but fell in soft curves around her face.

For a moment he was arrested by these abrupt physical changes, his gaze drifting down her form and back up to her face. The part of his brain that wasn't tied up with his pent up fury and blazing anger could appreciate the picture in front of him. Keenly uncomfortable with the direction his thoughts were going, Draco pushed his reaction to seeing her onto a back burner. He concentrated on dragging forth his demons from within and he scowled furiously at her.

"Draco Malfoy," Her voice when she spoke his name was slightly breathy, whispered more than spoken aloud. She was trembling from head to toe, her large eyes reminding him of a deer trapped in headlights, unable to avoid an oncoming collision.

His lips tightened into a thin line, his jaw tightening as she continued to wither beneath his gaze. It went a long way to assuage his pride that she was afraid of him, lessening his anger some. But he couldn't let himself get too careless in her presence. She held the balance of his future in her hands and he was determined to take it back from her.

"You're coming with me Lovegood," He snarled reaching for her. She gasped upon hearing his intentions and the words spurred her into action. She dropped the shopping bag in her hand and reached into the pocket of the baggy coveralls she was wearing for her wand.

He was quicker of hand, having already palmed his wand from within his sleeve. Even as she drew her wand, he whispered, "_Expelliarmus!" _Luna's wand flew away from her hand, bouncing off the double racks behind her before falling down the other side. They both froze hearing a muffled, "Ouch!" Followed by, "What the hell is this?" from a muggle on the other side.

_Fuck._ In for a penny, in for a pound, Draco had already screwed this up by being in such a public muggle place. His anger had gotten the better of him, so instead of stealth and concealment for this deed, he may as well leave a map with directions to his home for Luna's friends and family to find her.

Using the momentary distraction of the muggle on the other side, Draco reached forward grabbing Luna's arm and pulling her to him. When she opened her mouth to call for help he whispered, "_Silencio_!" with his wand stuck in her side under her ribcage.

He was mortified to note that his nose which had previously likened this girl to the stench of a farm animal covered in manure, was filled with the scent of honeysuckle drifting up from her. Clutching her this close to him, he wanted to turn his head and sniff the fragrance that was drifting up from her hair. Resisting the urge, he bent her downward so that they disappeared from view amongst the clothes rack. Closing his eyes, which only made her scent that much stronger in his nostrils, he concentrated hard thinking of the gardens at Malfoy Manor.

There was a loud crack within the women's department of Harrod's that caused all the shoppers to jump. The electronic registers sparked and died, a side effect of the event that had just happened. The muggles were looking at each other asking, "Is it thundering outside?"

Ginny had raced out of the dressing room, still wearing the rack garments she had been trying on. She had recognized the sound of apparating, something that was entirely illegal in such a public place. The fact that someone had done so could not bode well.

Fleur as well had heard it, hurrying over from the shoe department from the other side of the floor. She was limping as she walked, one high heeled shoe on, the other bare foot. "Ginny!" She reached her sister-in-law clutching her arms. "You're alright! Where's Luna?"

They began to search for her. Fleur ran into Ginny just around a double tiered rack past the dressing room. A muggle woman had Luna's wand in her hand, rubbing the back of her head and was saying, "This store has the oddest things falling out of the sky." Fleur and Ginny looked at each other, worry in each of their eyes. If that woman had Luna's wand, where was Luna?

**-HP-**

**Kat's Note: Hahah! I can't say too much without revealing all BlackTea - but regardless you have influenced some decisions on the story. It's all good fun! Look for more to come this weekend! In regards to the father-daughter relationship, I became positive after reading all the character bios and re-reading the stories that Luna is a total Daddy's girl. Look how mad Luna got when Hermoine insulted her father's work and what he would have done just to get his little girl back from the Death Eaters. They're all each other has currently. I've always wanted to see a writer spotlight their relationship. Next up - Malfoy Manor!**


	7. Chapter 7

_How Do You Hold A Moonbeam In Your Hand?_

_Malfoy Manor_

They appeared in the gardens behind Malfoy Manor, the tall yew hedges hiding their arrival from prying eyes at the house. Draco was still holding on to Luna and she struggled silently in his grasp, unable to call out, scream or make any vocal noise.

"Be still!" he hissed, digging his wand in her side again.

Luna froze, fear hammering in her heart causing it to beat triple time in her chest. She did not know why Draco Malfoy had taken her away, but she could venture a guess. Somehow he must have found out. That split lip of Harry's had been a dead giveaway that he fought with someone. When she had first lain eyes on Draco, her own eyes had not missed the shadow of a fading bruise upon his cheek.

His arm imprisoned her across her collarbone, his other hand occupied with keeping his wand trained on her. She closed her eyes, a flash of memory trying to catch up to her.

_The feeling of his arms imprisoned her, circling her waist and picking her up like she weighed nothing. She was thrown forward towards the post of the bed. She turned around to face him._

Her eyes snapped open, the memory shutting itself down in an instant before she could see his face. Her body was shuddering, trembling with terror. She willed herself to not panic. _Do not panic..do not panic. _She repeated it to herself like a mental mantra.

The moment she calmed down from remembering, Luna realized something was completely odd. They had been standing this way for several seconds and Draco had not said a word. She couldn't see him but she could hear him and he couldn't possibly be doing that.. could he?

_Why is he smelling my hair? _Luna wanted to ask the question out loud but the silence spell he had cast on her was still in force. She could feel his breath near her ear and that's what had given him away. He had inhaled just next to her ear, taking a small breath and releasing it. His behavior was completely at odds with his whole demeanor. Not to mention, it unnerved her just a bit that he was taking such liberties with her.

He suddenly snorted as if disgusted and then propelled her forward along the gravel walkway before them. They emerged from the yew hedges and she could see the large sprawling manor, its high turrets and grandeur just behind a fountain with several dragons head spouting water from between their mouths.

She didn't want to go into the house, it was the place of her previous imprisonment and she began to struggle with more effort the closer they got to the doors. Memories were threatening to take over, terrible ones that she didn't care to relive, nevermind the one she forced herself to forget.

Draco was strong though for being of such slim build. He continued to push her forward even as she tried to dig in her heels into the ground to prevent him from doing so. "Quit it Lovegood," his voice was still cruel upon her ears as he spoke, "Don't make me stupefy you."

It was not the worst spell he could perform, but Luna didn't want to be helplessly stunned either. She stopped struggling which made it all too easy for him to force her across the veranda and into a pair of glass french doors that overlooked the back gardens.

The room they had entered was not the entry hallway with all the portraits of the Malfoy ancestors. It was a library, shelves filled with a multitude of books. Green and black dominated the room, from the black leather sofa and chairs to the emerald green velvet drapes that were pulled away from the full length windows on the wall to let the sun in. The crest of Slytherin House was mounted on the wall above the fireplace in the library.

They were not to stay in that room. Draco forced her through the library, through the hallway and into the Drawing Room. She'd been through this portion of the house only once before, the day she had been captured off the train and locked in their cellar. Once they entered the room, only then did Draco release her.

She immediately turned, trying to escape under his arm and leave. He caught her around the waist and dragged her back towards the table. She tried to yell at him but her voice refused to cooperate. She settled for beating her fists on his arms to get him to let her go.

"Young lady I suggest you stop that now! We mean you no harm."

The voice that spoke was not Draco's. It was familiar, feminine and contained a tone of authority that expected to be obeyed. She recnogized Narcissa Malfoy's voice immediately having heard it numerous times through the floorboards which she knew to be positioned directly over her old prison.

Draco deposited her in a chair and went back to lock the door to the Drawing Room. Luna sat stiffly in her seat, wanting to jump up but found herself locked in a staring contest with Narcissa Malfoy. The woman's cold blue eyes were assessing Luna, not with the fury that Draco had approached her with, but with cunning curiosity like Luna was a puzzle she was figuring out.

From her peripheal vision, Luna could see Lucius Malfoy standing at the fireplace, his forearm resting on the mantle. He too was regarding her as a puzzle to solve, neither of the parents sharing in the anger and fury their son had shown her.

Draco sat across the table from her, his frosty gaze pinning her again. She looked back at him unblinking, but the was unable to hide her fear from him. Luna clenched her hands together in her lap, her fingers interlaced. She was wandless, couldn't apparate, and had no chance of escape. She could only pray that she would be rescued from their clutches just as she had been before.

She became aware that Narcissa Malfoy was talking to her and she turned her head to regard the matriarch of the Malfoy family once more.

"Miss Lovegood you probably know why you're here," Narcissa was talking directly to her. "Last week Harry Potter came to our home making ridiculous accusations towards my son Draco." Luna felt her gut clench in fear. They'd found out about the pregnancy and wanted to kill her to cover up any wrongdoings in their household. A cold feeling washed over her, her horror mirrored on her face.

"I see by your expression you know exactly what I am speaking of," Narcissa continued as the look of fear turned into one of horror on Luna's face. She laced her own fingers carefully in front of her on the table as Luna found herself perused by Narcissa once more. "Harry Potter made several serious accusations and threats against my son, claiming he had sexually harmed you." Narcissa's brow raised slightly as she said, "The ministry has not been here to make the same claim so I am curious what prompted Harry Potter to come attack my son Draco."

Luna didn't speak. It was not just due to Draco's spell which kept her voice from her, but also she was processing the information Narcissa had just told her. Harry had been there, but from the conversation question Narcissa made, it did not appear he had told them precisely why he had been there to make an accusation. Her eyes drifted between Lucius, Narciss and Draco, wondering if she could even lie to them convincingly.

"Speak girl!" Lucius moved away from the fireplace, striding towards her and towering over her. She shrank back automatically from his tone.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Draco was the first to figure out his own mistake. He pointed his wand towards her and said, "_Finite Icantatem_!"

She couldn't lie. Luna had never been good at telling lies. She was good at stalling though and the words that popped out of her mouth would have earned her nickname ten times over at school for daring to be so foolish in the face of the three threats before her. "A written invitation to come here and talk would have been kinder." It was Draco to whom she addressed as she continued, "Instead of dragging me here against my wishes, treating me so unkindly and sniffing my hair." She paused and then asked with a note of confused curiosity in her voice, "Why did you smell my hair?"

"I did not!" Draco protested his face coloring changing as he turned red with embarrassed fury.

"Yes you did." 

"I did not!"

"I distinctly heard you."

"I did not smell your hair you daftheaded gnome!"

"Is that supposed to be an insult? Gnomes are quite lucky you know."

"Enough!"

The last was said by Lucius who punctuated his point by rapping his cane on the table between his son and their very strange guest. He had little to no interaction with Luna during her prior imprisonment, but having dealt some with Xenophilius Lovegood he was not surprised to find the girl was just as weird as her father.

"Young lady," he slid into the seat next to hers. "Please answer my wife's question."

Luna's gaze which had been locked once again with Draco's, turned to peer unblinking between Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. She took a breath, careful in selecting her words. "I wouldn't have wanted Harry Potter to come here to attack Draco." That was partially true. She had specifically told him to leave Draco alone and didn't understand why he had not done so. "I understand he was angry of my treatment at your hands while I was here." She shifted in her seat and came to the heart of the matter. Looking at Narcissa Malfoy she said, "As to the charge he made," she still couldn't bring herself to say the words so easily, "I do not know if it is true or not. In as much as I can recall, your son never touched me in any manner physically." She avoided Draco's eyes, not wanting to see his reaction to her words.

She was watching Narcissa and the woman's eyes had expressed surprise for a moment before they had narrowed saying, "Lucius get the veritaserum. I want to see if she's telling the truth." She unclasped her hands, leaning back in her chair and watching Luna closely for any tell tale signs of a lie.

Fear of the potion which had been known to loosen tongues faster than anything else Luna had blurted out, "I am telling the truth!" Her hands were shaking in her lap but she told them, "I've been to see a healer at because I've suffered a memory loss. You may not believe me but I can contact the medi-wizard and have him confirm it to you."

She could sense Draco looking at her and when she chanced to glance his way she could see his eyes held a note of surprise at her words. She found herself examining his sharply pointed features and having noted them on his father, wondered if he _had_ in fact been the reason for her condition. Would those same features would be inherited by the baby if it did turn out he had been the one who had assaulted her?

The silence drug out for several long moment and then Narcissa said, "You're lying. If you suffered any sort of memory loss about your time here, Harry Potter would never have been here in the first place." She nodded to Lucius and said, "Get the serum."

Luna felt panic surge in her chest that bolted its way through her stomach churning its contents. Lucius stood from his chair, leaving the room. She pushed away from the table, feeling suffocated and as if she couldn't breathe. Draco immediately shot to his feet and pointed his wand at her. "Don't move," he ordered.

Fear and panic were building inside of her, her gut clenching and turning. Luna couldn't control the nausea that was overcoming her, so easy to do nowadays. Bile rose in her throat. She leaned forward to duck her head between her knees, praying for the sensation to go away.

"I said don't move!" she vaguely heard Draco from above the table but she was lost under it as she emptied the contents of her stomach. At the same time she was dimly aware of five individual cracks of thunder, the sounds of witches or wizards apparating into the room.

When she finally brought her head up from between her knees, Luna was treated to the sight of Draco being disarmed by none other than Harry Potter. Neville Longbottom had his wand directly to Narcissa Malfoy's throat and he had snarled, "Give me a reason to curse you!"

Lucius had barreled through the doorway, potion in one hand, wand at the ready in the other, only to be tackled by Ron and Seamus who had been waiting for him on the other side.

Luna herself was hauled out of her chair by her arm. She looked up into the anxiously worried face of Dean Thomas who asked, "Luna are you alright?"

She nodded dimly, her stomach still churning even as her fear melted into relief. Thank goodness her prayers had been answered and her rescue had come far sooner than she would have anticipated. Her voice was rough from her moments ago sickness and she weakly asked, "How did you find me?"

Dean told her, "The Ministry had an alarm going off at the Improper Use of Magic office. Magic being used in front of muggles in a populated area of London. By the time they had pinpointed the location, Ginny had sent Harry a message on his D.A. Galleon to let him know you'd been taken." She shivered and Dean rubbed his hands down her arms asking, "Are you sure you're alright?"

She nodded her head and he informed her, "Harry's the one who figured out who took you right away and we came here immediately."

Luna continued nodding even as tears of relief began to sprout at the corner of her eyes. Dean looked a little uncomfortable at her crying and reached into his robes to pull out a handkerchief. She took it gratefully, wiping her eyes.

"I've got you now Malfoy," she heard Harry saying the words behind her. "Kidnapping, Improper use of Magic in a highly populated muggle area! You're going to be put away this time!"

"Keep dreaming!" Draco snarled at Harry. "I've done nothing to the Lovegood girl!"

"You've done plenty!" Harry shouted back. "You're not going to get away with any of it!" His gaze dropped from Draco to Narcissa as he said caustically, "I brought the ministry with me this time." A reminder of her last threat to him.

Narcissa's chin was pointed upward due to the angle of Neville's wand to her neck. She lifted her head even higher as she said, "Mr. Potter you've no proof, no witnesses and no charges." She seemed certain, although her eyes glanced once Luna's way betraying only a small uncertainty. "I suggest you leave me and my family be." 

"I'll have proof enough in seven months!" Harry's anger overrode his judgement as he shouted that out. He jabbed his wand deeper into Draco's neck.

"Harry!" Luna's shocked voice cut across the drawing room. Eight sets of eyes turned her way at her horrified exclamation.

**-HP-**

**Kats' Notes: Draco always seems to botch his own plots doesn't he? He couldn't kill Dumbledore, he failed in the room of hidden objects; I think he subconsciously must be sabotaging himself because knows he should stay on the straight and narrow. :) **


	8. Chapter 8

_Got A Secret, Can You Keep It, Swear This One You'll Save_

_The Burrow_

Luna would never forget the look on his face.

_"I'll have proof in seven months time!"_

_"Harry!"_

_They had all looked at her. Seamus, Dean and Neville had seemed confused at her shouting. Lucius's face had been a mixture of first shock and then disgust as he seemed to figure it out. Narcissa's expression was priceless, her mouth flopping open like a fish, as she looked from Luna's face and then lower, working it out. Harry had the decency to look guilty and apologetic for having blurted it out in such a fashion and even Ron looked upset._

_Draco Malfoy was white as a sheet. The color had completely leeched from his face like someone had punched him in the groin. For once his white blonde hair looked yellow compared to his face which was ashen white. He had been stunned by Harry's words into speechlessness. His head whipped towards Luna and he had blanched further at the look of guilt that had crossed her expression._

_"What?" he had croaked out when finally speech came back to him._

Luna was currently sitting on her bed in Ginny's room at the Burrow reliving what happened even as she told Ginny the story.

"Harry took him in to the ministry on the charges of kidnapping and improper use of magic." Luna drew her knees up wrapping her arms around them. "They also took Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy as well." Luna's eyes glittered with unshed tears as she said, "Ginny if you had seen their faces.." her voice trailed off and she shook her head.

_Luna clapped her hand to her mouth, unwilling to say anything more. She stared at the three Malfoys, guilt mirrored with fear in her grey eyes as Harry presented the charges to them. They didn't even appear to hear Harry, the three of them pinning her with their cool gazes. She had backed up into Dean who had placed his hands on her shoulders comfortingly._

"I can't believe this is happening," Ginny put her hands to her mouth, sighing deeply as she said, "When Fleur and I couldn't find you I used my old D.A. Galleon to contact Harry." She looked at Luna her brown eyes filled with apologies and removed her hands from in front of her mouth, "I'm so sorry Luna. I had no idea this would happen." 

Luna shook her head again, "It's not your fault Ginny." Her face grew thoughtful as she drifted back off into the memory of that afternoon. After a few minutes of silence, Ginny glanced over at Luna and asked, "What is it?"

Luna repositioned herself, stretching her legs out in front of her. She brought her hands, suddenly cold, closer to herself, rubbing them together absently. "Just thinking," Luna's voice was pensive as she admitted that. She shook herself slightly and then said, "Ginny do you mind if I rest a little bit? I'm very tired."

Ginny looked as if the last thing she wanted to do was leave Luna alone. But she did nod her head saying, "Of course you are. Mum and I will be waiting downstairs. Neville's still down there having some tea with Mum." She stood up and went over to the door opening it.

Luna nodded her head. The Malfoy's had been taken in for questioning to the Ministry and Luna had asked Neville if he could apparate her to The Burrow. She liked Dean, but she trusted Neville the most at that moment. He had never betrayed her nor hurt her and he wasn't likely to ask questions she wasn't ready to answer. He had agreed, bringing her back to the place she currently called home. "Thank you Ginny," she said before Ginny shut the door.

Leaning back against her pillows, Luna buried her face in her hands. What she had been unable to tell Ginny, was how afraid she was, thinking that Harry had been right this entire time. Whatever had happened at Malfoy manor this past Easter to her, somehow Draco was involved in it.

She had seen Narcissa and Draco's faces. Their shock had been palpable. Luna knew that shock because she had experienced it herself. Lucius had looked disgusted and for a moment she wondered if _his_ reaction was because of something _he_ had done. She shuddered, whispering a prayer that it was not so.

Oh if only she had her memory! All of these doubts in her mind, the worries that plagued her would be answered if she could just remember what happened to her at Malfoy Manor. She got up off the bed and went over to the mirror Ginny had next to her wardrobe on the wall. She stared into her reflection chanting _'Remember. Remember. Remember.'_ in her head over and over.

The medi-wizard at St. Mungo's had told her only she could bring back the memory. They had been able to tell her she had not been put under the Imperius curse. If she had been put under that curse, she would not have had the memory she did of Bellatrix's torture and Harry's kisses that last night. They had been able to identify that she'd had her memory altered by the Obliviate spell. It replaced a true memory with a false one. They had given her a potion to remove the spell from her brain, but when the memory did not come forward immediately that was when she had gotten the little lesson on emotional stress, trauma and mindblocks.

What horror had she endured that her mind refused to cooperate with the potion? Luna stared at her reflection seeking those answers. Unfortunately her reflection did not answer back.

**-HP-**

To say that Luna and Harry were upset at each other, would be an understatement. Nobody could miss the argument that was taking place in the Weasley kitchen the next morning.

Harry had come home exhausted from a night spent interrogating the Malfoys at the Ministry. After a sleepless night they were able to charge Draco with kidnapping Luna but the charges of Misuse of Magic in a Muggle place were inconclusive. The surveillance tapes taken from Harrods had short circuited and even though they had Draco approaching Luna on the tapes, the cameras had not captured his use of magic on the tape. There had been clothes racks in the way of their view of his wand usage.

Luna had been eating breakfast with Ginny and Mrs. Weasley when the two boys came trickling in wearing the same robes as the day before. Harry had kissed Ginny on the cheek and greeted them both a good morning. Luna looked at Harry letting her silence speak for itself in the stony expression she bestowed upon him.

Ginny was also upset with Harry on Luna's behalf, but curiosity over what happened at the ministry overruled all her other emotions. So as the two Aurors in training sat down at the table she dared to ask, "So what happened?" 

"Malfoy is denying everything of course as are his parents," Ron informed them before digging into his eggs.

Harry hadn't touched his own food yet. He sat next to Ginny and said, "We had to let Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy go. There wasn't enough evidence to charge them and their defense representation was extremely quick to show up." He sat back in his chair rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"So you're still holding Draco then?" Ginny asked, her eyes swinging back and forth between her brother and her boyfriend. Luna stirred the eggs on her plate as she listened for the answer.

"He's still detained for questioning, but we've only gotten so far with normal questioning. He'll have to go before a committee for further questioning if we want to get the full truth." Harry's eyes landed on Luna and she stonewalled him again with that look of hers.

"May as well tell her Harry," Ron said around a mouthful of waffles he'd snagged from the middle of the breakfast table.

"Luna you're going to have to go in and give your testimony to the ministry about the kidnapping," Harry told her. "Ginny you too," he told his girlfriend reaching for her hand.

Ginny nodded her head, "Of course."

Harry looked reluctant to speak about the next part but he forced the words out of his mouth, "Luna you're going to have to tell them what happened between you and Draco at the store and what happened at their house."

Luna should have expected that. The ministry did their investigations thoroughly. She gave a stiff nod of her head to Harry.

Ron had tilted his head in Harry's direction and waved his fork at the boy who lived saying, "That's not all though."

Luna set her fork down and sat back in her chair, her grey eyes wary as Harry looked up, his own green eyes distinctly guilty behind his glasses. She knew that look. It meant whatever he was going to say, she was not going to like it.

The room was deadly quiet until Harry said morosely, "The ministry will likely be sending a notice to request a paternity test on your baby as evidence for other potential charges."

Luna felt anger blossoming in her chest the moment the words left his mouth. "That's not even possibly for months!" she was quick to point out, her voice raised slightly.

"Well actually they can do it in three weeks at the beginning of July," Ron informed the table. "Paternity tests can be done without harm to an unborn baby at 13 weeks, we looked it up."

Oh that didn't help matters any at all. "You looked it up?" Luna crossed her arms turning a glare upon Ron and Harry both. "Have you both been doing this behind my back without telling me?"

"We were doing it for your own good Luna," Harry was quick to inform her. "You need to know what happened and-"

"No!" Luna's voice raised a few decibels as she nearly shouted this at Harry saying, "_You_ _need to know_. Don't put this on me Harry Potter." She stood from her seat, her chair scraping backwards. "I asked you to let me have time to deal with this on my own and you've been pushing me and pushing me!"

"Because you're avoiding it!" Harry stood as well, placing his hands on the table.

"I don't remember it!"

"Just because you don't remember it doesn't mean there aren't other ways to prove it," Harry told her. "That's why you should have a test done in three weeks."

"No!" Luna shook her head. She glared at Harry and said, "Harry I will not be having any tests done. You're just looking for any excuse to put Draco Malfoy in Azkaban even using _ME_ to further this rivalry you two have!" She placed her own hands on the table leaning across it and said, "I won't be a part of this!"

Harry stared at her for a moment, her accusation cutting deep. He tilted his head and said in a much quieter voice, "I always thought you belonged in Gryffindor because you're the bravest girl I ever met. But I suppose I was wrong. You're being a coward Luna."

She might be clever with words, but Harry's words cut even deeper than her own. Luna felt her chest tighten with pain that was becoming too familiar lately. It was the truth, which is why it hurt worse. She was being a coward.

Luna's face flooded with red color and she abruptly left the breakfast table, storming through the kitchens and slamming the backdoor on her way out.

**-HP-**

Ginny kept her current with news from the ministry for the rest of the week. Draco was still in custody pending his hearing before the Wizengamot. Luna's wand had been confiscated as evidence and she had remained wandless for the past few days which had limited her activities to the burrow. She had written to her father, explaining the situation and he had written back.

_My darling Luna,_

_I will be coming home within two weeks. I spoke to the department of Post War Efforts and they have put in a rush request to help get the necessary supplies to have our home rebuilt. We'll be together soon munchkin and we'll get things figured out._

_All my love,_

_X._

_PS) My friends on the crew here in Belford have agreed to come with me to rebuild our home. I think you'll like them. There's this one fellow Scamander who comes from a well respected naturalist family. I think you two will get on well._

The news that her father was coming home had done much to improve her mood, but a heavy cloud still clung to her every time she thought of the situation as it stood. She was no closer to remembering anything, though she kept wracking her memories and trying to inspire something to come forth.

She was also starting to wear those clothes she had bought that day at Harrod's. Her own regular cothes couldn't be worn anymore, even unbuttoned. Ginny had rescued her shopping bag of clothes and she found herself grateful to the muggle person who had invented the stretchy fabric known as cotton/spandex blend which currently cushioned the small swell beginning to show. She had an appointment at St. Mungos in two weeks to have a check up.

Ginny and Luna were outside sitting in the shaded forests that surrounded The Burrow. They had fans in their hand, waving them at their faces as the mid-June heat beat down on the countryside. It was too hot, even at this late morning hour and would only continue to heat up as the afternoon wore on.

Ginny stretched her long legs out in front of her and lifted her hair off her neck. "Luna would you at least consider having the test done? Just for your own peace of mind, not because the ministry orders it?"

They'd been having this conversation off and on for the past few days. Ginny and Luna had both gone to the ministry days before to give their statements on the incident at Harrod's. Luna had been given a group of mugshot pictures to identify Draco from them. She knew immediately which picture was his, the boy in the shot looking half shellshocked and angry, but instead of pointing at it immediately she had picked it up and stared it.

She had found herself memorizing every feature and burning it into her brain. She had hoped that somehow it might help trigger a release on the block to her memory, but it had not.

The Ministry investigator who had been handling her statements had also asked the awkward questions that she had hoped would never come up.

_"Do you know why Draco Malfoy would abduct you?"_

There was no avoiding the truth on that one. She had explained to the wizard who took her statement why she suspected she was abducted. Her insides had been shaking but she was pleased that her voice didn't betray her as she spoke to them.

The Daily Prophet had somehow found out about Malfoys being detained by the Ministry. They didn't have the full details behind the charges so the headline had read, "_Malfoy Family Detained By Ministry_!" followed by a subtitle indicating they resumed a practice in the dark arts.

Luna looked over at Ginny, perspiration trickling down the side of her face even as she waved her fan at herself. Giving some thought to the matter, after a few minutes she murmured, "Maybe." Peace of mind would be a good thing. She'd had so little of it lately.

The girls were discussing the possibility of raiding Charlie's old clothes trunk for something for Luna to wear so that they could go swimming in the pond just past the forest, when a medium sized owl with a long tapered tail came flying down from the sky.

Its short pointed wings flapped as it landed directly in front of Luna with a parchment attached to its leg. She had never seen an owl of its kind before, a white face bordered by black, the underparts of its feathers were white with brown bars. Its small golden eyes stood out amidst its coloring.

"Aren't you beautiful?" she found herself saying to the owl as she reached out to get the scroll attached to its leg. Detaching it, she turned it over to see the parchment was sealed with black wax. The embossed stamp was a shield with a dragon on either side and two serpents twined at the crown of the shield. An elegant M was printed over the crest of the shield.

Ginny paled and said, "That's the Malfoy family crest."

Luna turned the parchment over to ensure that it was addressed to her. She could see her name upon the parchment.

She set her fan down, her fingers shaking slightly as she broke the seal and opened the letter.

_Dear Miss Luna Lovegood,_

_I apologize that a proper invitation was not extended towards you the last time we had the opportunity to meet. It is my hope that you were not greviously injured by the event that occurred and that you may find it in yourself to forgive the liberties that were taken between yourself and my family. _

_If you find yourself able to forgive the incident, I would request to speak with you about matters concerning yourself and my grandchild. Tea is served daily at 11am, followed by luncheon at my house and if you so choose, I would be esteemed to have you join me on the day of your choice._

_I await your reply._

_Sincerely,_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

Luna read the invitation out loud to Ginny who exploded, "Bollocks! That woman has some nerve!" Her shout caused the owl to flap its wings and ruffle its feathers in agitation.

Luna reached out a hand to stroke the chest of the owl, receiving a peck on her fingers for her action. She drew her hand back and stared at the welt it had created. She drew her finger to her lip sucking on it to alleviate the pain.

She was quiet for several moment and then Ginny sat up and turned towards her saying, "Luna tell me you're not thinking about going."

Luna drew her finger away from her mouth and said in a quiet voice, "I am actually." 

"It's not a good idea," Ginny shook her head. "These people have already done enough to you. Abduction, torture, brutalization, more torture-"

Luna interrupted her before she could protest further. "I want to go." Ginny's mouth shut and she looked at Luna in shock. She was going to have to tell Ginny her suspicions so she said, "I'll tell you why but you have to promise not to tell Harry, Ron or ..anyone really what I'm about to say."

Ginny stared into her eyes for several long moments, her brown eyes filled with uncertainty at making the promise. She obviously wanted to know what was in Luna's head but at the same time, didn't want to make a promise she might not be able to keep. Wanting to know, won out and she said, "I promise."

"You swear you won't tell?" Luna asked.

"I swear."

"I think Mrs. Malfoy knows something," Luna told Ginny. "I think she can help me remember what happened." She held out the letter and said, "Look what she wrote here. _My grandchild._ Why would she write that if she didn't know?"

Ginny took the letter from Luna's hand perusing the writing. "This is the proof," she said as she regarded the letter. "Draco did assault you."

Luna snatched the letter back from Ginny, the redhead raising a brow as Luna said, "You're thinking like Harry." She folded the letter up and tucked it back in its envelope. "That's why I don't want you to tell anyone." She reached out, taking hold of Ginny's wrist to capture her full attention. "Please let me figure this out on my own. I want to go talk to Mrs. Malfoy and I want you to go with me."

When Ginny didn't say anything for a few moments, Luna held her breath and then pleaded, "Please?" in a soft voice.

Ginny let out a tiny sigh, the kind when someone is about to give in to something they feel they shouldn't. "Fine," she told Luna. "We'll go there together." Luna sat up and leaned forward to hug Ginny saying, "Thank you!"

"I want to go on record saying this is a bad idea Luna." 

Luna sat back and gave a soft smile to Ginny. "Maybe," she admitted. "But when you're all out of good ideas, all that's left are the bad ones."

**-HP-**

**Kat's Notes: Thank you for the kind reviews! I'm tickled pink to know some were on the edge of their seats! I am loving this story so much and look for more drama to come as Draco faces the Wizengamot! To BlackTea, I must admit I'm a big one for cliffhangers. It comes from too many Cliffhanger Fridays on my soap OLTL!**


	9. Chapter 9

_If I Show You, Then I Know You Won't Tell What I Said_

_Malfoy Manor_

Three days later found Luna and Ginny walking down a very distinguished, private lane in Wiltshire. They had taken a train from Exeter to Bath and from Bath they had taken a local bus to Wiltshire. Luna did not have her license to apparate still and Ginny had never been to Malfoy Manor so they couldn't apparate to the grounds. They had talked about using the Floo Network but decided against it since they had made their plans in secret and didn't want anyone monitoring where they flooed. They had decided to use Muggle means of transportation to the Malfoy home and return by apparation to The Burrow later that afternoon.

As far as Mrs. Weasley knew, the two girls had decided to take a walk into Ottery St. Catchpole and just spend the day in town. True to her word, Ginny had not told anyone about the letter or their plans to visit Mrs. Malfoy. Ron and Harry had gone to work with Mr. Weasley that morning none the wiser to their plans.

"This place is so pretentious," Ginny commented as they walked down the lane. Each driveway they passed had an extremely long drive and from the peeks they had glimpsed of the homes at the end of each drive, the people who lived in those homes were rich and well to do. They had always known the Malfoys were rich. Draco had always had the best of everything and was more than willing to brag upon it at Hogwarts. But that had been little things such as his broomsticks, his cauldrons, his newer robes or the sweets his Mum had always sent from a french bakery.

This living atmosphere was completely different than what Luna and Ginny had grown up in. The houses here were magnificent works of architecture with turrets, towers, and columns at every home. It was a far cry from the crookedly tall, ramshackle coziness of The Burrow. The pristine manicured gardens, the stone fountains and high yew hedges that separated neighbor from neighbor seemed to mock the open wildflower plains, the babbling creek at the foot of the hill and tall grasses that rippled in the breeze; the wild nature that surrounded The Rookhouse.

Luna walked forward counting the driveways until they reached the one they were looking for. She and Ginny turned right, following the high hedges onto a gravel drive. Up ahead were a pair of wrought iron gates that were currently open in expectation of visitors. They passed through the gates which began to swing shut the moment they entered.

Luna paused in her step, turning to regard the heavy gates as they clanged close. Ginny stopped with her and then said, "It's not too late to change your mind Luna." She glanced apprehensively between the gates and the manor which was just ahead.

Luna shook her head. "Peace of mind right?" she looked at Ginny and then turned to face the manor.

"Not in there," Ginny muttered looking at the puritanical house in front of them. For a family of three the house seemed ridiculously large, austere and morose. Four stories high, Ginny muttered she could fit four of her own house inside the sprawling space that Malfoy Manor occupied.

They were nearly to the front of the house, past the hedges, when a sharp, shrill, trumpet sounded next to Ginny's left causing her to shriek and jump sideways, stumbling into Luna. Luna caught Ginny before they both fell, the redhead grabbing onto her forearms for support. The girls clung to each other a moment, before their eyes lit upon the source of the noise.

An albino peacock, pure white in color strutted from behind the hedge. He paused when he spotted them, head cocking left and right as it observed them keenly from both eyes. Luna began to giggle when she saw the bird even as Ginny scowled at it. "Just like the Malfoys to have a bloody annoying peacock," she muttered.

Luna started to laugh even more until tears were streaming from her eyes. "Your face!" she pointed at Ginny giggling madly and cluctching her stomach because it was hurting from laughing so hard. "You should have seen the look on your face!"

She was laughing so hard, it was becoming infectious. The scowl melted off Ginny's face as she started to laugh too. The peacock continued to watch them as he strutted forward, his long tail feathers tucked in and dragging in the gravel behind him. Their tension melted slightly from the laugh they had just enjoyed at his expense.

But, as the two girls approached the door to the manor, their trepadition over this visit returned in full force. The door opened at their approach oddly enough. Luna glanced in hesitation at Ginny who eyeballed the open door like it was going to swallow her. They stood there a few moments debating entry. In those few short seconds that they hesitated, a small figure appeared in the doorway. It was a typical house elf with abnormally large eyes, a rail thin, short body, large bat-like ears and wearing a pillowcase with holes cut for sleeves. "Mistresses, please state your business," she squeaked.

"Hello," Luna greeted out of politeness with a smile to the house elf. She then said, "Luna Lovegood and Ginevra Weasley here to see Mrs. Malfoy. She is expecting us I believe." She had sent a reply letter to the Malfoy matriarch to accept the invitation. Her reply had been nearly as formal as the invite that had been extended to Luna.

It had taken Luna nearly an hour to compose the correct reply and Ginny had snickered about it the entire time, offering unhelpful suggestions about where Mrs. Malfoy could stick the invitation. She had also had a laugh that Luna had managed to sound equally prim and proper in her RSVP as Mrs. Malfoy had sounded in the invitation.

_Dear Mrs. Malfoy,_

_Thank you for the kind invitation you have extended to take tea with you. I accept your offer and will be visiting your house on Friday. As our last meeting was ill met indeed, under the circumstances, I am sure you will understand the need for me to bring a guest. Please make arrangements for two as Ginevra Weasley will accompany me on my visit to your home. I, too, have need to speak with you regarding certain delicate matters._

_Kindest regards,_

_Luna Lovegood_

Luna glanced at Ginny who had her arms crossed already in anticipation of a battle over the tea. This may not have been the best idea. It was too late to back out now, especially as the little elf squeaked, "Mistresses are expected! Please come inside and follow Neecy!" The door opened wider to allow them entry into the house.

Their feet stepped across the threshold, echoing once on the stone floor before stepping onto soft carpet. Neecy closed the door behind them and said, "This way Mistresses!" The blonde and redhead followed her through the hallway past a multitude of portraits, Malfoy ancestors from years past.

Ginny turned her head to whisper a comment to Luna. "The paintings are creepy. It's like they're watching you even though they're not moving."

Luna rather agreed and she was glad when they went through a door entrance on the left heading down another hallway in the house, leaving the staring pictures behind. This hallway had more light from large, high windows to their left and there were several doors off to the right. The hallway ended and turned to the right and they continued to follow the house elf. As they followed her, Luna had a vague feeling of deja vu like she'd been through there before. Neecy stopped before a set of mahogany double doors and turned the brass lever of the handle.

The door opened into a library and Luna vaguely recognized it as the room Draco had surreptitiously dragged her through, her prior time at this manor. She was struck again by the contrast of black and emerald green dominating the room. Ginny was seeing everything for the first time and there was a permanent frown set upon her face at the moment. "I think they must belong to Slytherin," Ginny's low sarcastic comment was meant for Luna's ears only.

Luna pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at Ginny's wit. She knew that the redhead was uncomfortable here and her comments were a defense from being overwhelmed by it all. Luna, herself, was overwhelmed by it and as they passed through the library she said, "It makes you think doesn't it?"

"What makes you think?"

"How easy it is for a soul to get lost in this place."

The walls were filled with books, floor to ceiling in length. Hermoine Granger would have a field day over the amount of books that the Malfoys had in their possession. Not as grand as the library at Hogwarts, it did however resemble the fully stocked shelves at Flourish and Blotts except that it was orderly and neat, each book shelved carefully. On one wall they passed the french doors that opened out to the back of the manor.

Neecy led them to another set of double doors on the far wall of the library. She opened the door and announced. "Mistresses Luna Lovegood and Ginevra Weasley here to see you Mistress." The elf stepped aside, lowering her head towards the two visitors in a half stooped bow.

Inside the room, Narcissa Malfoy had stood up from a forest green high wingback chair. Her bearing was regal as she stood straight and tall, her manner composed as she said, "Welcome to Malfoy Manor Miss Lovegood, Miss Weasley," addressing them both. "Neecy you may go bring the tea service."

"Yes ma'am," Neecy pattered off in her bare feet to do as asked. Luna and Ginny entered the small sitting room. The room was a mixture of Victorian and modern styles. The high wing back chairs were modern in their satin cloth and full covered arms. The dark mahogany couch was a Victorian settee the black sloping at an angle downward before looping up to form the other side, velvet cream brocade covering the cushions. The draperies hanging in the window were a similar satin cloth to the chairs, and the pictures along the wall were flowered landscapes. The room obviously belonged to Mrs. Malfoy as no masculine furnishings presided in the room.

Luna and Ginny stood there a moment, the atmosphere stifling awkward. There was no love lost between the Weasley and Malfoy families, a rivalry spurned on not only by the sons, but by the fathers who had detested one another at their workplace in the Ministry. Ginny had crossed her arms again so it was up to Luna to say, "Your written invitation was very kind Mrs. Malfoy."

It was a clever reminder of Luna's previous comment to Draco. Mrs. Malfoy's eyes narrowed for just a moment before she said, "Please sit down. Neecy will bring the tea."

Ginny and Luna sat together on the settee couch, each of them on an end. Ginny was watching Mrs. Malfoy very carefully, ready to give back whatever insults may cross the woman's mouth in their presence. Luna knew that Ginny had been on the receiving end of the Malfoy snobbery too many times to not be wary while directly in the snake's den. She felt that same apprehension as she searched for a way to speak to the older woman.

A long time ago, her mother had once told her something that had popped into her head upon entering this very situation. _When you find yourself in unfamiliar company it is best to stick to two subjects; the weather and everybody's health._ Her mother had said this with a twinkle in her eye telling her that a very wise Professor Higgins had gifted her with this advice. Luna had often wondered what subject he had taught at Hogwarts.

After a minute or so of silence, during which Narcissa Malfoy had been examining Luna with great interest, her eyes drifting down to the swell of her bump, Luna finally said, "I do hope your family isn't suffering from dementia."

Narcissa's blue eyes snapped upwards meeting Luna's grey ones as she said, "Excuse me?" Ginny had pressed her lips together, biting her tongue to keep from laughing at Luna's comment.

"The summer heat can bring on dizziness, disorientation and hallucinations if one stays outside for long periods of time," Luna explained calmly. "I do hope your family isn't experiencing any of that." She looked directly at Mrs. Malfoy who was clearly uncertain how to respond to her words. Perhaps mixing weather and health in the same conversation was not the way to converse.

Now Ginny had to raise her fist to her mouth, coughing in an effort not to choke on the laughter she didn't dare let escape. She was quite used to Luna's oddball questions but it was priceless to watch her in action with Mrs. Malfoy. This might be an enjoyable afternoon after all.

"Miss Lovegood I assure you my family is well enough considering where my son is at the moment. I suspect that your words meant something different than what you said, but I see your dossier is correct about you." Mrs. Malfoy though wasn't going to let Luna's weirdness get the better of her, even as Luna asked, "My what?'

"Your dossier. I have conducted an investigation into you and your family background." Narcissa was a very direct woman and so she said, "Let us dispense with any small talk. I have asked you here to confirm if you are indeed with child."

Luna felt a surge of relief that she wasn't going to have to continue to talk about the weather or health. Not that she minded either, but she had suspected she doing it properly. Learning that the Malfoys had been investigating her background, she found herself surprised they had done so. She glanced at Ginny for a bit of support before looking back at Mrs. Malfoy and saying, "Yes. I'm having a baby." She tucked her hand protectively across her stomach as she said it.

Narcissa stared at her, her gaze again drifting down towards Luna's stomach. Luna wrapped her hand tighter across her stomach curious to know what was going on in the older woman's head. Before either of them could speak a word further, the door opened, china clinked and Neecy entered bearing the tea service tray.

There was silence as the house elf placed the tray upon the mahogany coffee table between the ladies. Etiquette demanded that the lady of house pour the tea for the guests, even so called blood traitors, so Neecy was sent away with a single order, as Narcissa served them their tea.

Luna took hers with milk in first and sugar added. She stirred the small spoon clockwise two times and three times counterclockwise before setting it on the saucer and taking a sip. "This is very good tea," she said to her hostess politely.

"Thank you," Narcissa was not without her own manners as she poured Ginny a cup and then herself. Mrs. Malfoy took one drink before setting her cup on its saucer and saying, "Miss Lovegood I was surprised to discover your pureblood lineage is almost as distinguished as my own."

Luna felt herself begin to color, her cheeks heating upon hearing those words that likened her to the woman in front of her. Mrs. Malfoy proceeded to list things she already knew, but to Ginny it was the first time hearing it. "Daughter of Sionnan O'Brien of the Irish O'Briens. Their wizard lineage extends back to the time when muggles called wizards by the title of Druids."

"Sionnan Lovegood," Luna felt the need to correct. "O'Brien was her former name." Her hands tightened around the handle of her teacup knowing what was to come next.

"Well yes she did marry beneath her status," Mrs. Malfoy was not holding back the punches as she said, "Your mother's family is highly distinguished in Ireland, many land rights and propeties, with holdings extending into Wales and tradings in India. Your mother could have married very well but she chose to marry your father. Sorted into Ravenclaw at Hogwarts, although the O'Brien's were usually in my house of Slytherin. She met your father at Hogwarts, married him after they both achieved their NEWT's. You were born within two years of their marriage in Ireland where they lived. Sionnan died when you were nine years old upon which time your father moved the two of you to Ottery St. Catchpole where you currently live."

"Xenophilius Lovegood." Narcissa continued, "British, also of pure blood, but only within ten generations dating to the time after the Goblin Wars." She proceeded to list her father's job and of course the fact that his family, like the Weasley's, were pure blood but poor as church mice. They were spread all over Britian.

Luna sat through it all, slightly numb as she listened to Mrs. Malfoy list her grandparents on each side followed by her aunts and uncles which only existed on her father's side. Her mother had been an only child as she was herself.

When the woman had finished listing her family members and especially touting the significance of her Irish relatives and their fortune and name, Luna was proud to hear Ginny ask, "What does that have to do with the price of eggs in China?"

"It means Miss Weasley," Narcissa coldly informed her, "That Miss Lovegood would be a suitable candidate to carry a Malfoy heir based on this information."

Luna felt herself grow cold at such an impersonal declaration, as if she were merely prized for having pure blood lineage. She was further shocked speechless when Mrs. Malfoy said, "Provided the girl is telling the truth of course."

At that, Ginny's teacup clattered down and she leapt to Luna's defense, getting to her feet and yelling, "Of course she's telling the truth! Luna never lies!" Her eyes narrowed and she added viciously, "Unlike your _precious Draco _who never speaks anything but lies! Can't imagine where he learned that from!" Her voice was scathing towards Narcissa.

"Don't you speak of my son like that!" Narcissa stood as well, her austere visage affronted by Ginny's verbal attack. "Draco did nothing to Miss Lovegood that warrants his arrest!"

"He only raped her!" Ginny cried out.

"No!" Narcissa drew herself up, looking at Luna and said, "My son is not responsible for what happened to you Miss Lovegood. I wish to speak to you about it, but I will not do so as long as this girl," she pointed to Ginny, "is here."

Luna's heart was tight in her chest, stressed over the exchange between her best friend and the woman she need to get information out of. She feared that Ginny's outburst would have them thrown out before she could get answers, but at the same time she was so proud of how Ginny stood up for her, she wanted to throw her arms around the redhead and hug her silly.

Heaviness hung in her heart as she regarded Ginny who was glaring at Mrs. Malfoy in a manner similar to how Harry had looked upon Draco. The hatred which came so naturally to others had always seemed a mystery to Luna who had always observed the world from outside the box. She could dislike something, particularly when others insulted her father or his ideas, but she had never felt the manner of feeling that Ginny was displaying towards Mrs. Malfoy.

It was with some guilt and sorrow that Luna requested very quietly, "Ginny would you please wait outside for me while I speak to Mrs. Malfoy." Ginny swung her shocked gaze at Luna. Luna grey eyes looked up into hers pleading. She wasn't asking Ginny to leave and she'd tell her everything later no doubt, but she needed to know what Mrs. Malfoy knew. And the only way that was going to happen was if Ginny left the room.

It took several longs moments before Ginny muttered, "Fine!" She retrieved her wand from behind her, having stowed it at her back. Handing the wand out to Luna she said, "But you keep this on you and if she attempts to curse you, you jinx the hell out of her!" Ginny's eyes narrowed at Narcissa as Luna took the wand. Narcissa's nose curled upward slightly as if she were smelling something terrible.

"Thank you Ginny," Luna tried to convey with her eyes, that she not only appreciated Ginny's wand, but the fact that her friend had been ready and willing to stand up for her. A curious sensation shivered through her, and she found that she was nearly on the verge of tears with happiness at the thought of her friend's devotion.

Ginny said, "For you Luna." She seemed to understand and then added, "I'll be right outside in the library if you need me." She narrowed her gaze at Narcissa and then said, "Don't forget, Weasleys know how to take care of Black women." A very understated threat and a reminder of who killed Bellatrix LeStrange.

Narcissa's face mottled in anger over the reminder. Luna felt fear leap up into her throat for the first time as Ginny walked out the door and shut it behind her. She lifted her hands to her face, pressing her suddenly cold hands to her cheeks to try to warm them up.

"You should choose better friends Miss Lovegood," Narcissa's steely cold voice sent shivers down Luna's spine as she spoke again. She sat back down in her high wing back chair regarding Luna very carefully.

Luna took a small breath to summon up the courage that had been so non-existent in her lately. She kept her voice neutral as she said, "We are not here to discuss my friends if you please." Her eyes which had been trying hard to avoid any tears, suddenly seemed to glitter with them as she said, "I didn't lie to you Mrs. Malfoy. I don't remember why or how I got pregnant. I know you don't believe me but it's the truth."

She took a longer breath to try to gather her composure back together. "I came here hoping you would know something." She drew from her pocket the letter that Narcissa had sent her. "Because of your words. You said _my grandchild_." She tilted her head at Mrs. Malfoy and then asked, "Did you mean it?"

Narcissa regarded her from across the coffee table, the tea service sitting unused between the two of them. She laced her fingers together in her lap before saying, "What I am about to tell you Luna," she used the girl's first name on a more familiar basis, "must go no further than the two of us. My son's name and reputation will be impugned through no fault of his own."

Luna placed her hands in her lap, leaned forward and said simply, "Mrs. Malfoy, please understand that I have no prejudice towards your son. I just want to know the truth for myself. I don't know why I cannot remember if something occurred between us but if it did, I want to know what it was."

Narcissa closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them. When she began to talk, true to her word, Luna listened very carefully to the story that was told. It was the third time in as many weeks that Narcissa had repeated the story. First to her husband, then to her son and now to the other victim that Bellatrix had claimed.

**-HP-**

**Kat's Note: The Professor Higgins joke is in reference to "My Fair Lady" a wonderful "Muggle" musical that everyone should watch! Those who have seen the movie will understand the joke. Those who haven't - well if you should find yourself hobknobbing with British royalty at the Aspen races - stick to two subjects - the weather and everybody's health! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it! Next up - Luna finally heard the truth from Mrs. Malfoy about that night! Will she believe her? **


	10. Chapter 10

_Twisted Every Way, What Answer Can I Give?_

_Malfoy Manor_

After having shared with Luna the same things she shared with Draco, Narcissa had sat back in her wing back chair regarding Luna. Luna's face had lost color during the tale that was told. The words that had crossed Mrs. Malfoy's lips had shaken her to her core, making it impossible for her to do anything but sit there in mute horror. Her lungs felt like they were burning as well and it wasn't until Mrs. Malfoy spoke that she even realized she had forgotten to-

"Breathe," Mrs. Malfoy said at that moment when Luna's face had turned a sickly shade of blue. Her throat had swelled shut from the overwhelming emotions she was experiencing. It cut off her oxygen without her realizing it. She inhaled sharply and suddenly at the reminder to do so, the room spining for a moment as her oxygen deprived brain tried to resolve itself.

The explanation Narcissa had given had seemed impossible and contrived to paint Draco in the best light possible. Luna knew that Harrry and Ginny would have been ripping it to pieces the moment the words left Narcissa's mouth. Luna wasn't sure if she could believe the story herself if she didn't know well the madness of the woman who had been Narcissa's sister.

As Luna's breath returned, Narcissa said very quietly, "You can imagine my shock at my own blood, my beloved sister having done this to my son." It was almost an afterthought as she said, "And towards you while you were a prisoner of war in my home." She was not the kind to dwell on Luna's suffering at the moment though and continued to say, "Though you may not believe it Miss Lovegood, Draco was quite distraught when he found out what had occurred. My sister's betrayal cut us both very deep."

In the silence that Luna maintained, Mrs. Malfoy filled it by saying, "The responsibility of this situation lies solely on my sister Bella. Were she still alive today, she would be answering for her own crimes instead of my son."

Luna's mind was wrapping itself around the idea of Draco under the Imperius curse by Bellatrix's hand. It would have been strange that the explanation had seemed familiar, as if she ought to know it somehow. She couldn't be sure if it was the truth or a lie, but she would puzzle it out in her own time.

"Now as I have told you my part in it," Narcissa straightened the skirt of her robes and said, "You too have a story to share Miss Lovegood. You say you have lost your memory? How can this be?"

Luna gave a slight nod of her head. She opened her mouth, at a loss for how to explain the reason for her memory lapse. She settled for telling Mrs. Malfoy what she knew from the healers at St. Mungo's.

The tea was completely cold when she was finished explaining everything. Luna did admit, "I had hoped you may be able to tell me why I could not remember." She looked at Mrs. Malfoy and said, "Was I imperiused or did someone tamper with my memory?"

Narcissa regarded her carefully before saying, "I cannot answer if you were under the Imperius curse Miss Lovegood although knowing my sister I suspect not. She told me she wanted you to remember your humiliation and suffering." For a moment, Narcissa's jaw tightened, the only visible sign that she was affected by talking about this.

She composed herself though and said, "I wanted to alter your memory that night, but she refused to let me do it." Tilting her head to one side she asked, "You _really_ cannot remember?"

Luna shook her head. "I told you I did not. I think you know I wouldn't be here if I could remember."

Narcissa raised one pale blonde brow in acknowledgement of the truth of Luna's words. "Then I fear for Draco when he goes before the Wizengamot next week."

Luna had dropped her gaze to the tea service to think but her head swiftly glanced back up at Narcissa's words, an unspoken question in her eyes.

"You didn't know?" Narcissa queried. "They have just set the date this morning to begin his trial. You will likely be called to testify." Her chin lifted as she commented, "I fear the travesty of your testimony and what it will do to Draco."

Luna felt her mouth go dry a bit as she asked, "I beg pardon?"

"You are the one girl who holds the memories to acquit my son," Narcissa informed her, "Or you are the one who can incarcerate him." Her head tilted to the side and her voice dropped, "You hold his life in your hands Miss Lovegood with your forgotten memories."

The weight of her words dropped onto Luna, her tone deadly soft and meant to crush her beneath a guilty complex. Luna couldn't miss those direct implications. She could imprison Draco for life in Azkaban. Or, if she believed what Narcissa told her, Draco was a victim as she had been and she could set him free.

She needed time to think. This was not the place to do that. Luna stood to her feet, Narcissa rising as well. "Mrs. Malfoy," she addressed the older woman, "I thank you for your invitation to tea. You have given me alot to think about."

"Are you leaving?" Narcissa stepped forward around the coffee table until she stood in front of Luna. "We have not finished this conversation Miss Lovegood."

"No," Luna agreed, "We have not. But there are too many wrackspurts floating around in my brain right now. I need to rid myself of them and organize my thoughts." She looked beyond Mrs. Malfoy and said, "There is also the matter of my friend Ginny who has waited long enough for me."

It was Narcissa's turn to frown at Luna in misunderstanding asking, "I beg pardon young lady?"

"Wrackspurts," Luna said, "They make your brain go fuzzy. I will owl you a pair of Spectrespecs if I can find any, so you can see them for yourself." She moved to step around Narcissa so that she was not between Luna and the door. "I need to think on what we have talked about." 

Narcissa's hand stole out to stop Luna, grabbing her by the wrist. "We haven't spoken about the x`baby.." she paused and then said, "Draco's baby."

Luna still had Ginny's wand and she clutched it tight, raising it slightly and said, "Please Mrs. Malfoy." with a glance to her wrist. Narcissa seemed to realize she had gone too far and let go of Luna's hand but not before Luna had seen a brief look of reluctance and pain cross her face.

She didn't know what possessed her to say what she did next, perhaps it was pity, but Luna said, "I have an appointment on Thursday to see a Birth Mediwizard. Would you like to be there at the appointment?" It was an olive branch, however tiny, offered out.

Narcissa's blue eyes widened at the invitation and she accepted saying, "I should like that very much Miss Lovegood." 

Luna gave her the address to the mediwizard's private offices along with the appointment time. She made her farewells, a bit awkwardly before leaving the sitting room.

**-HP-**

Ginny had been waiting outside and fairly pounced on Luna coming out. "What happened?" she asked.

Luna shook her head. She cast a glance backwards that Ginny took for 'not here'. Luna led Ginny out the french doors of the library to the back terrace before the house elf could come get them to lead them to the front door of the manor. She didn't want to walk past the Malfoy ancestor gallery again.

Out in the open it was easy enough for Ginny to take her arm and side-along apparate them back to the Burrow. They landed in the lane just past the wooded trees that helped shield the Burrow from Muggle eyes.

"Okay so what happened back there?" Ginny asked the moment they had landed. She let go of Luna's arm from their trip.

Luna held Ginny's wand out to her. "Thank you for letting me borrow this," she said. She missed having a wand. She should have thought to ask Mrs. Malfoy if her old wand was anywhere in that huge house, but she had forgotten, her mind occupied by other matters. The borrowed wand was still in custody of the ministry and would remain so until they no longer needed their evidence.

"Luna!" Ginny's voice was filled with frustration that she had failed to start spilling the beans immediately. She accepted her wand saying, "If you want to thank me properly, tell me what happened back there! It was bloody boring in that library while you two were talking. I read the titles on practically _every _book there."

The heat of the afternoon was thickening and the sun beating down on the lane was making the air hazy. Luna could feel beads of perspiration already starting to form at her hairline. She indicated her head towards the trees saying, "Let's get under the shade first Ginny."

Once they were under the trees, the air a few degrees cooler, Luna and Ginny sat in the shade of a tall oak, leaning up against the trunk for support. Luna quietly told Ginny something she wasn't going to like.

"Ginny," She took in a small breath and then said, "I can tell you some things but I can't tell you everything Mrs. Malfoy told me." She followed it by adding, "yet."

As she expected, Ginny cried, "What!" in a high pitched voice of disbelief.

Luna's lowered her head and said, "I made a promise that I must keep." Her hands found each other, her fingers twisting with each other nervously at how her friend would react to this news. "I want to tell you and when I can, I promise I will, but for now I need you to accept that I can't."

Ginny's face mottled red, likely in an effort to restrain herself from yelling. Luna tried not to wince beneath the accusatory gaze bestowed upon her. She found herself whispering, "I'm sorry. I promised." 

Ginny placed a fist to her mouth, letting out a puff of air through her nose, the only other outward sign that she was upset at Luna. She grimaced behind her fist and then lowered it. "Okay Luna," her voice was stilted, but even of tone when she finally spoke, "What can you tell me?"

Luna leaned back against the tree and spoke. She told Ginny about Mrs. Malfoy explaining her sister had done something to Luna, although Luna didn't give her the complete details of the story. She told her how she had shared her story with Narcissa in return. She also explained how Narcissa felt her memory was crucial to proving Draco's innocence or guilt as to the question of whether he was involved or not.

Ginny's reaction to the news that Bellatrix had been involved in the incident was exactly as Luna thought it might be. "Well it's easy enough to blame a dead person who can't talk isn't it?" Ginny had asked rather rhetorically.

"Ginny," Luna's voice had admonished her. "I need you to not judge anything I tell you." She crossed her legs in front of her and picked up an acorn that was lying on the ground. Rolling it between her palms she said, "I don't want your feelings towards the Malfoy family to influence the decisions I make." 

"What decisions?" Ginny crossed her arms over her chest. "Luna what are you thinking? Do you really believe that Draco Malfoy is innocent?"

Luna shook her head while shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know Ginny." She took a deep breath and said, "But I'm going to find out." She tilted her head back looking up at the sunshine filtering down through the oak leaves. "I need to go see him."

"What?" Ginny shook her head, "Luna that's really not-" 

"A good idea," Luna finished for her. "I know Ginny." She heaved a huge sigh. "I've got to sort this out." She leaned towards Ginny, butting her in the shoulder with her own. "I know it's not fair of me to ask you to support me in this Ginny but I really appreciate everything you've done."

"You're lucky I like you," Ginny said with some dry humor returning to her voice.

"Yes I am," Luna's direct tone caused Ginny to snort with laughter.

They talked a bit more, making plans to get Luna to the Ministry in London when it opened on Monday.

**-HP-**

That night as the hour approached midnight, Luna found herself unable to sleep. She turned to the right, to her left and even had twisted around so that her head was at the foot of the bed and her feet were on her pillow, but she just couldn't sleep.

Kicking the covers off, she surmised it might be too warm, even with the cooler night breeze coming in through the window. A few minutes later she was pulling the sheet up to her chest, unable to sleep without the covers.

She slung her arm over her closed eyeballs trying to lure her body into sleep by keeping completely still, but her mind was too active to allow sleep to come. She was mulling over what Mrs. Malfoy had told her, her mind putting puzzle pieces together even though she didn't know what picture would be revealed when it was finished.

_"When I found you in the room, you were huddled on the bed. Your face was bruised. I don't know who hit you. You had blood under your fingernails. My son had scratches all over him so you must have tried to stop him."_

Luna's chest had started to hurt and her breathing had quickened when she first heard the words. It was happening again, just remembering Mrs. Malfoy's words, her chest throbbing with pain. She clutched the sheets to her chest, scarcely aware of a whimper that escaped her.

She took shuddering breaths to calm herself down but more memories of the day's conversation were persisting. Perhaps she had made a mistake in not telling Ginny everything, confiding in her best friend and getting an opinion on the things that were said. But she had promised Narcissa that she wouldn't say anything until she gained her memory back. Luna always kept her promises.

_"My son has done many things Miss Lovegood because the Dark Lord was threatening our family. But he would never have touched a blood traitor willingly in such a way. Bella used the Imperius curse upon him and then set him upon you. If I had known what she was going to do to Draco, I would have cursed her myself."_

_"You were crying the entire time rather noisily as you lay there. Bella was laughing at you from the doorway. You couldn't stay there, you were our prisoner after all. I had to pull you to your feet and walk you back to the cellar. I would have Obliviated your memory right away but Bella followed us and would not let me."_

The lack of sympathy that Narcissa had shown towards Luna's part in the story spoke volumes of how she still believed in blood supremacy. There was no regard for her well being that night, as she was considered a blood traitor back then. Tears slipped out of Luna's eyes, pity welling in her for Narcissa Malfoy to be so prejudice and unfeeling to a young girl.

Could she believe this woman? Lies could slip so easily from the Malfoy mouths, just like sand through an hourglass sieve. What reason could Narcissa have to lie? Should Luna regain her memory, she would know in an instant if she'd been lied to.

Somewhere in her tangled thoughts wondering what she could believe and wondering if she had made a mistake in asking Narcissa to join her at her next appointment, a yawn escaped Luna's mouth. She pulled the covers to her chin her head drifting to the side. A fitful sleep finally overcame Luna and when she did sleep, she dreamed.

_His eyes had been blank, unseeing and unfeeling. He strode across the room where she was huddled against the wall, grabbing her arm and dragging her to her feet. She lifted her arm swinging at him, but he caught her fist before it could connect to his cold, impassive face, twisting her arm and causing her to cry out in pain._

_She brought her other hand up, raking her nails across his cheek. He didn't even react to her attack, blood welling up from the lines on his cheek. He let go of her arm though and she darted past him. _

_The feeling of his arms imprisoned her, circling her waist and picking her up like she weighed nothing. She was thrown forward towards the post of the bed. She turned around to face him, clawing him again. His grey eyes betrayed no reaction, lost under a the white glaze of the curse. _

_Laughter echoed from just behind him and she heard her voice whisper, "Do it...Do as I tell you!" There was a soft thump-_

Luna's eyes flew open, the noise in her dream having intruded into real life. Standing over her bed, a tall shadow bent towards her.

Luna opened her mouth and screamed.

**-HP-**

"I'm really really really sorry," Luna apologized for the thousandth time the next morning.

Ginny gingerly touched the knot on her forehead. She had swept her bangs to the side to help cover most of it, but the red lump which had swelled in the last few hours was beginning to turn purple. "You have a vicious right hook," she commented as her mother came over to hand her another bag of ice wrapped in a towel.

"It'll be alright once the swelling goes down dear," Mrs. Weasley fussed over Ginny, tucking her hair behind her ears and smoothing it down. "Are you okay Luna? You gave us quite a fright when we heard you scream."

Luna's expression turned extremely downcast and guilty. She apologized again saying, "I'm sorry I woke everyone up. I didn't realize it was Ginny standing over me." 

"I should have turned the light on," Ginny rationalized it. "You were whimpering in your sleep and then you started to thrash around like you were having a nightmare."

Luna waited until Mrs. Weasley had returned to the kitchen sink to wash up the morning dishes before leaning forward to whisper, "It was a nightmare." Her voice and face were both fearful as she told Ginny, "I think I remembered something last night."

**-HP-**

**Kat's Note: Thank you for the reviews! Please if you've added me to your story alerts/favorites - please consider leaving a review! I'd love to know your thoughts on the story! Up Next: Luna visits Draco before he faces trial! Will she help or hurt his case?**


	11. Chapter 11

_It's Been One Week Since You Looked At Me_

_The Burrow_

"That was awful," Luna told Ginny as they made it back to the Burrow on Monday morning. The two girls had apparated to London to use the visitors entrance into the Ministry. They had entered the red phone booth and typed in the code 62442 on the payphone's number pad. After following the intructions, their passes had been issued.

Luna still had her pass attached to her clothes. It read "_Luna Lovegood Seeking Baby Daddy". _This had occurred when she had explained to the operator she was there to speak to the potential father of her baby. Ginny's pass had her name along with "_Friend Therapist" _when Luna had explained she was there as mental support. Ginny had not worn her name tag.

They had entered the Ministry and taken the lift to the second level where the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was. They had avoided going past the corridor towards the Auror offices instead heading to the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol. That was where they kept criminals in custody who had not yet been convicted and sent to Azkaban.

It was there that the girls had learned that it was forbidden for Draco Malfoy to have any visitors who were not his parents, his defense wizard or Magical Law Enforcement personnel who were investigating the case against him. No amount of requesting or pleading would get him an outside visitor.

Dejected, they had left the Ministry to apparate back to the Burrow. "What will you do now?" Ginny asked Luna.

Luna shook her head. "I don't know." She heaved a sigh. She had only ever been to the Ministry twice before in her lifetime. The first time had been on a Rescue Mission for Sirius Black when she was fourteen years old. The second time was to give her statement after Draco had kidnapped her from the middle of London.

"Whoever said the third time is a charm was wrong," she told Ginny who shot her a confused look at her words.

**-HP-**

Tuesday heralded good news and bad news.

The good news was that Luna had received two owls that day. One was from her father, the other was from the wandmaker Mr. Ollivander.

_My dearest Luna,_

_We will finish in Belford this Saturday. I will see you on Sunday. Monday, you will get to meet the crew that is coming to our land to help rebuild our home. I think you'll like the lot of them._

_Missing you,_

_X._

_Miss Luna Lovegood,_

_I trust this letter finds you well. I have completed your new wand that I promised you. I would enjoy a visit from you at my shop which has reopened in Diagon Alley._

_Sincerely,_

_G. Ollivander_

Luna had sent reply owls to both, one indicating to her father she was looking forward to their reunion and the other to Mr. Ollivander with an inquiry as to his health and a convenient day for a visit.

That had been the good news which had cheered her throughout the day. She and Ginny had helped Mrs. Weasley with a late 'spring cleaning' that had involved stripping all beds of their linens, washing, drying, ironing, dusting, sweeping, mopping, waxing and putting a little something called "elbow grease into it" as Mrs. Weasley had put it. They had opened all the windows in the house to air it out and even chased a ghoul away from the attic who was the worst offender for smells in the house.

Late afternoon they began to prepare things for dinner. Luna was learning from Mrs. Weasley how to make dough for a pie. It was very simple, cold water, cold butter, flour and salt. Once she had added the ingredients in the order Mrs. Weasley instructed, she was pleased to find a large ball of dough sitting in front of her ready to be rolled out.

She had just put the pie into the oven when Ron and Harry apparated back to the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley had meatloaf, string beans and roast potatoes on for dinner. Ginny was preparing a salad when the boys came storming through the back door.

"Boots!" That was Mrs. Weasley's reminder for them to remove their boots first before tracking anything in.

Ron and Harry were both scowling as they sat down to remove their boots. Ginny was the first to take notice of their thunderous attitude and she asked, "What's wrong?"

Luna leaned over to look at the pie in the oven, fascinated she had managed to make this on her own. It was Ron's reply that got her attention though a moment later as she whipped around.

"Malfoy's trial started today. Bloody git was released with a tracer charm on him!" Ron informed Ginny.

"You mean he was found innocent?" Ginny asked. Luna held her breath, wondering if that was the case.

"No," Harry had his boots off first and then made his way over to the sink to wash his hands. His voice gave away his unhappiness as he said, "It was just the arraignment that started today. His defense wizard plead not guilty and tried to get the charges dropped so he wouldn't have to go to trial. They determined there was enough evidence to make the charges stand trial." He heaved a giant sigh and then growled, "But it came bloody close to being thrown out."

Ron finished the story by saying, "As it is he'll stand trial but he's been released from custody of the Magical Law Enforcement Office. They put a bloody tracer charm on him to make sure he doesn't skip his trials but until then..." his voice trailed off.

"He's free to do as he pleases!" Harry thumped his fists on the sink's edge. Mrs. Weasley was making sympathetic noises from her throat as she watched Ron and him.

"Yeah but at least he's still standing trial mate," Ron said having finally got his boots off. He stood up and replaced Harry at the sink to wash his hands. Harry moved to the kitchen table but did not sit down. "Merlin's beard Mum," he looked to his mother and said, "The defense wizard the Malfoy's hired is good..too bloody good." His blue eyed gaze sought out Luna and he stared at her a moment.

Harry turned to look at her too and he informed the room, "They found out about Luna's memory loss and tried to use that to get the charges dropped." Both his and Ron's gaze seemed accusatory, or was that her guilty mind making it so?

Luna's mouth dropped open and her gaze flew between Harry and ron before it flicked to Ginny's brown eyes. Her best friend was staring back at her, an equally worried and guilty look on her face. They both knew how the defense had found out. It was from the horse's mouth so to speak.

Luna picked up the edges of her apron that Mrs. Weasley had loaned her, her hands twisting the cloth nervously. Harry and Ron were both staring at her so neither of them noticed Ginny's tiny shake of her head from behind their backs, wordlessly telling Luna to say nothing.

Luna closed her mouth shut and it was Ginny who provided the explanation easily enough as she said, "Hospital records are easy enough to obtain in official capacity aren't they?"

Harry and Ron's gazes flew to Ginny who looked nonchalantly at both of them, raising one red brow. Finally Ron was the one to back up the explanation with a nod of his head saying, "That's true."

Luna's heart which had been thumping in her chest, calmed down somewhat as Ginny rescued her. Her cheeks though had erupted in red flames of guilt and she turned to the oven where the pie was baking, fanning herself with the apron edges saying, "It's warm in here from the oven." Well that was true, but she was more worried about her own face giving her away than she was about the extra heat from the oven.

"Why don't you go out and get some air dear?" Mrs. Weasley suggested. "I'll keep an eye on the pie. Arthur should be home in a bit and we'll sit down for dinner." 

Luna smiled gratefully at Mrs. Weasley and headed outside through the backdoor. There was a small breeze that felt nice in the shade of the Burrow's tall length. She walked around the western portion of the house, to the side that faced the sunset.

A warm orange color had flooded the land, painting it and her face in a rustic glow as the sun touched the horizon to the west. The sky was an artful mix of blue, purple, pink and orange. Luna let the beauty of the sunset wash over her, relaxing her tension from inside.

She should have known that the Malfoys would use anything to get their son released. They were cunning and ruthless, the worst and best qualities of Salazar Slytherin combined. Or maybe it was just Narcissa who personified that. Most of Luna's interactions had been with Narcissa or her sister Bellatrix. Perhaps it was actually the Black part of the Malfoy family tree that possessed such qualities.

She had never given much thought to Draco Malfoy himself. Luna had been in a different year and house than him, so their interactions had been decidedly scarce. She could recall once Pansy Parkinson calling her Looney, as she passed by in the hallway and Draco had laughed but that was the extent of it.

She didn't dare dreg up the memory of her nightmare the other night. She had only just begun to relax and that would make her tense again. She did mull over her memory of him after he kidnapped her. She still was curious why he had sniffed her hair, but she doubted she'd ever find out.

In his parent's presence his mother had dominated the conversation. Narcissa was quite good at that, but her love for her son was undeniably strong. Luna had a vague thought that it seemed to rival the strength of her own relationship with her father. Since Narcissa had taken charge of the questioning, Luna had a feeling that Draco had only kidnapped her in response to his mother's orders. So it appeared he wasn't likely to break the law without being ordered to do so.

As that puzzle piece clicked into place regarding Draco, Luna began to see the pattern emerging in the things Harry, Neville, Ginny, Ron and Hermoine had told her in the past of their interactions with him. Neville was tormented by Draco only when others were egging him on to do so. He called Hermoine, Harry, Ron and Ginny names because his parents were encouraging it. Draco had attempted and failed thankfully, to kill Dumbledore, by Voldemort's influence.

Luna felt a kind of sadness for Draco, much as she had for Narcissa's prejudice. He was so easily influenced by others; did he even have one thought or opinion in his head that was his own?

There was a loud crack of an apparition from the back yard announcing Mr. Weasley's arrival home. The sun was already three-quarters behind the horizon. Luna shook herself out of her reverie and went back around the side of the house. She could smell the pie baking from the open window and her mouth started to water. Her stomach gave a rumbling of approval. It was dinner time.

**-HP-**

Wednesday evening it couldn't have been more obvious that something was going on with Harry. He had watched Ginny and Luna carefully at dinner the night before, his green eyes keen on picking up the details of their behavior. Luna had tried to avoid looking at Ginny too often, but after dinner they had both squirreled away up to her room to discuss what they had learned about Draco's arraignment with each other.

Something must have set Harry off though because the next night he was glowering back and forth between Luna and Ginny at dinner. Ron seemed unhappy with the two of them as well, refusing to speak to Ginny even to pass the salt. Mrs. Weasley had picked up on the tension and kept asking the boys if something had been amiss at work.

The two responses - Ron's yes and Harry's no - followed by a shared look between the two boys, had shut that conversation up temporarily. Whatever it was, they were sparing Mrs. Weasley hearing it. The rest of dinner was spent in awkward silence.

After dinner, Luna was washing up the dishes when she heard voices drifting up from outside the window. It was Ginny and Harry arguing out in the back yard.

"..and it was _your_ name on the visitor log Ginny!"

"Yeah I know. Luna wanted to see him and I was there just in case."

"She's not supposed to have contact with him and neither are you! You're both witnesses for Merlin's sake! What were you two thinking?" 

Luna's eyes had widened during the whole snippet and she withdrew her soapy hands from the sink, turning with the intent to go out the back door and put a stop to their arguing. It wasn't fair for Ginny to be answering his accusations alone.

She felt a start of surprise seeing Ron standing in the back doorway. He had his arms crossed over his chest and was regarding her from beneath heavily hooded blue eyes. His expression said he knew what was going on outside.

"Excuse me," she said quietly, her voice breathy from sudden nervousness. Ron's tall presence in the doorway was a bit intimidating the way he was standing there with his arms crossed, feet spread slightly apart. His hair was getting long again, his Mum had already complained of it and he had a shadow of a beard coming in on his cheeks from just a day's growth.

"No," Ron stepped forward, crowding Luna back slightly as he said, "I don't think I will."

She was surprised at the flash of fear she felt. Ron was a friend, sort-of. Not the best friend kind like Ginny, Harry and Neville were, but still the kind you could rely on to make jokes with, hang out and have fun. He could be mean sometimes when he was angry, but he was rarely angry with his very good friends, with the possible exception of Hermoine but even that had disappeared once they both had admitted their feelings for each other.

But now with his stone face serious, she could tell he was angry at her. Luna faced him warily even as he said, "Did you really think you could just waltz in the Ministry to see Draco Malfoy without anyone thinking twice about it?"

Luna wasn't sure if the question was rhetoric or not so she didn't answer, just watched Ron carefully.

Ron continued on, ranting slightly as he said, "What are you two doing? Are you trying to ruin the trial? What's going on in that weird head of yours Luna?"

His insult stung slightly but Luna knew Ron's unkindness always came out when his emotions were ruling him. She opened her mouth to answer but the back door slammed open. Ginny marched inside with Harry hot on her heels.

"I'll tell you what's going on Ron!" she shouted to him and then whirled upon Harry glaring at him as well. "You and Harry are being gits! You've run roughshod over Luna's feelings and now she has to deal with the aftermath of _YOUR _blunder Harry!" Ginny stabbed her finger at her boyfriend in emphasis.

"I made one mistake Ginny," Harry ran a frustrated hand through his hair causing it to stick out in various places. "But the fact of the matter is that the Malfoys began this and I'm going to see justice done for Luna." His jaw set and his lips thinned as his eyes flashed behind his glasses and he said, "In the meantime both of you are forbidden to contact the Malfoy family."

"Forbidden?" Ginny placed her hands on her hips and then asked, "What, by you?" She stepped up toe to toe with Harry and said, "You don't tell her what to do."

"Neither of you can have contact with the Malfoy family! Unless it's the defense wizard coming to interrogate your story, it is forbidden by the Ministry! It's not allowed and Luna shouldn't be trying to contact Draco anyways!"

"Aren't you the one who keep screaming he's the father of her baby? Did it ever occur to you that Luna was going to talk to him about that?"

"I can speak for myself. If you talk about me like I'm not here I might become invisible. Then where would I be?" Luna's quiet voice intruded between Harry and Ginny. Their gazes both swung to her. Luna's grey eyes met their gazes as she said, "Harry, don't be mad at Ginny. She's been a very good friend to me recently and I needed her a bit more than you at the moment." 

To Ginny, Luna said, "I don't want to be cause for you and Harry to argue." Her face was stoically calm as she said, "But you will continue to argue as long as he remains in the dark." She took a breath, making a decision and informed the redhead, "So I want you to tell him everything I've told you so far."

"Tell me what..?" Harry's words were halfway a question, halfway a statement of confusion.

Ginny cast a questioning glance at Luna who nodded her head. She pulled a chair out to sit down at the table, propping her chin onto her fist to observe the reactions.

To her credit, Ginny did not hold anything back, except for the information Luna had shared about her nightmare. Neither did Harry nor Ron hold back, the both of whom exploded at the news they'd been to Malfoy manor just the week prior.

"You aren't going there ever again!"

That was Harry's declaration. Ron's had been to surmise that Luna really was a nutter for going back there.

"How else am I to remember?" Luna had asked quietly at the same time Ginny exclaimed, "You two are not going to dictate to us!" Luna's question was lost in the argument that followed about the dangers of the Malfoys and the laws the Ministry had set forth to prevent witness tampering.

The argument went back and forth mostly between Ron, Harry and Ginny who excelled at being stubborn in their own ways. Luna had finally had enough after about an hour of it and she got up from her seat.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"To bed," Luna had replied, "Or do I need the Ministry's permission to do that as well?" She had a slight headache from their back and forth bickering.

**-HP-**

The next day was her first appointment at the birthing Medi-wizard's office. It was close by to St. Mungo's so Luna had to use the Floo Network to get to London.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Mrs. Weasley had asked when she had been preparing to leave. It was just about mid-morning.

"No," Luna told Mrs. Weasley, "Thank you." She hadn't even admitted yet to Ginny that she had invited Mrs. Malfoy to her first visit. Her stomach was filled with dread, mostly because she was afraid that Harry and Ron would somehow find out she planned to meet the woman they had forbade her to see.

Mrs. Weasley looked extremely worried about her going to London by herself so she reiterated, "I really appreciate the offer but I've got to learn how to do this on my own." She smiled a little bit as she said, "Besides I'm going to visit with Mr. Ollivander afterwards. He's got my new wand and I really can't wait to see it!" Her voice held a note of excitement.

The wandmaker's reply to her inquiry had said that any time would be convenient for her to drop by and that he should like the company very much. She was looking forward to see him recovered from their ordeal in the basement. He claimed she was a comfort to him, but in truth he had also been a source of comfort for her as well. They had helped each other down in that dark place.

"Well do be careful dear," Mrs. Weasley fussed over her asking if she had her return floo powder in her bag. Luna showed her the small handful she had placed in a separate sachet, hidden in a pocket inside her handbag. She also had the directions on how to get to the Mediwizard's office from St. Mungo's handwritten on a piece of parchment.

"I'm all set," she promised as she stepped towards the fireplace. Mrs. Weasley took the flowerpot off the mantle of the fireplace, holding it out to Luna. After taking a pinch, Luna said, "You're almost out so I'll pick up some more while I'm out." She didn't listen for the protest from Mrs. Weasley as she tossed it into the flames. Stepping into the green flame that rose up around her she said, "The Leaky Cauldron!" 

There was a familiar lurch and spinning sensation, Luna kept a tight hold of her bag and her elbows tucked in, and within moments she was sliding out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron. Her face and clothes were covered in a light dusting of soot, but she had made it safely to her destination without crashing into another floo-er on the way there. There was always that risk when traveling by Floo, and elbows not tucked in tended to smack into each other while traveling.

She used the entrance to the pub that led out into the Muggle side of London. Once there she found her way to St. Mungo's, the hospital carefully hidden inside a rundown brick building named Purge and Dowse, Ltd. She wasn't interested in going inside St. Mungo's but she needed the paint-peeled window which served as the doorway for the magical maladies hospital, to be her starting point to find the Mediwizard hospital.

She was fumbling in her handbag for the instructions when a hand holding a twenty pound note thrust itself into her vision. With some surprise, Luna lifted her head up to look at an older gentleman Muggle in a plain brown suit holding out the note to her.

"Here," he said kindly, offering the money out to her. "Take this and get some food. There's a shelter over on Hammersmith Road who can offer you better shelter for the night than in there." He glanced at the rundown building that housed St. Mungo's.

Luna was gawking a bit at him, so he took her free hand, the one not currently in her bag and pressed the twenty pound note into it. "You're much too young to be out here on the streets dearie," he offered a soft smile and said, "Go to the shelter on Hammersmith. They'll help you. Give you a place to sleep, a nice shower"

Luna's eyes were wide. She couldn't think of anything to say except, "Thank you." He was obviously concerned for her, but she couldn't figure out why.

The old gentleman smiled again at the young girl who was covered in filth and had a layer of grime all over her clothes and appearance. "Just tell them Henry sent you." He tutted as he walked off and Luna heard him sigh, "They're getting so young to be homeless at that age.."

_How'd he know my home was destroyed? _Luna stared at the older man until he disappeared around the corner, wondering if he was one of those Muggles who had some hints of magic in their ancestry. She pondered over that possibility as she tucked the twenty pound note in her bag and pulled out the instructions.

Following them exactly as she wrote them down, she made her away three blocks down and then two blocks to the left to end up standing in front of the mediwizard's office. She was early by ten minutes and glanced up and down the streets for any sign of Mrs. Malfoy.

There was no sign of her so Luna stepped into the medi-wizard's office. She was greeted by a witch who gave her paperwork to fill out and a warning that the mediwizard's office treated both Wizard families and Muggles but on separate days of the week so that no confusion ensued. Dr. Wallace's husband was a Muggle doctor who treated the Muggle side of the practice.

Luna had sat down and was filling out the forms with her information on it when the door to the office opened again. She heard a curse from the doorway that made her writing hand freeze. The curse was followed by, "You look like a pig that rolled in the dirt!

Luna's luminous grey eyes lifted to the doorway to see Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway with his ever familiar sneer hanging on his lips.

**-HP-**

Kat's Note - Did you know there is a homeless shelter on Hammersmith Road in London called St. Mungo's? Isn't that a fun tidbit? Hope you enjoyed this and please leave a review! Seriously - I love reviews! Thank you to Miss Asteria, Black Tea, 22 moons, melissanox and Seddieroxmiisox (love the name btw Seddie) for always being kind enough to leave a review! I live off them and it helps me to judge if you like the chapters or not!


	12. Chapter 12

_Ill Met By Moonlight Eh Proud Titania? What? Jealous Oberon?_

_Dr. Wallace's Office, London_

He was looney.

Or so Draco Malfoy had told himself for the millionth in the past two weeks. He had to be looney because that little slip of a girl, Luna Lovegood, had been in his mind too frequently lately. She had invaded his thoughts endlessly while he had been sitting in his holding cell in the ministry. Hell, he'd even had a dream about her more than twice.

He would never forget the Auror's shout in his ear nor _her_ response to it.

_"I'll have proof in seven months time!"_

_"Harry!"_

It had taken a moment for the words to register, before his brain could even begin to guess what the seven months had meant. When the math caught up with his thought process, he felt the air whoosh out of his lungs and his legs turn to jelly. It was rare to catch him off guard, but in that moment he had been stunned beyond all his senses.

He never had a chance to speak to her after that, but Draco would never forget the look in her eyes; guilt, fear and truth. Those enormous grey eyes that dominated her heart shaped face surrounded by long, dark lashes had given away everything. It was the memory of her face which had haunted him in his holding cell the past few weeks. More than once he had been surprised by the thought that Luna Lovegoood could be ..attractive? Surely not.

As Draco opened the door to the Mediwizard's office, he felt justified (and just a bit annoyed as well) to see-

""You look like a pig that rolled in the dirt!"

-she was not.

After his release on Tuesday he had found out from his mother about the appointment she had with the Mediwizard, along with the invitation to attend. He had put his foot down, insisting he would go and that she was to remain at home. His mother had argued with him, but he would not budge.

When he had opened the door he had seen her immediately. Her dirty blonde hair was not the same platinum blonde as his own, but it was recognizable and she had been the only person in the lobby which is how he had known it to be her. He had painted a picture in his head over the past two weeks of a Luna Lovegood with those enormous grey eyes, that fair delicate skin and that loosely curled hair that he identified as smelling of wild honeysuckle.

That portrait of the girl in his head was a far cry from the dirty, soot-stained urchin that was writing on paper attached to a clipboard. Her hair was pulled back in a messy tail, streaks of ash painting the strands. Her clothes were covered in the grime of the floo network. The words had slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them.

She lifted her eyes to look at him, widening in shock. Her face was also stained with soot and she must have rubbed her chin at one point because there were fingerprints in the black grime on her face.

Still slightly annoyed that she would present herself in public like that, Draco shut the door to the office and scowled. She had the good decency to recover from her shock, giving him a wary look as she asked, "What are you doing here?"

He lifted one brow at her and remarked, "Well since you invited my mother to this appointment surely you wouldn't deny _me_ the chance to be here. After all, I'm supposedly the.." he felt his voice pause, hating his own hesitation at saying the word. Because of it, he was a bit forceful as he stated, "the father of this _thing._"

She was still regarding him with that on guard, ready to bolt, gaze. He moved forward until he was standing over her looking down and examining her frame. The last time he had seen her she was wearing baggy coveralls and he had trouble even believing that there had been something created between the two of them.

Today he couldn't easily ignore the roundness to her frame that was developing. The oufit she was wearing emphasized the slight swell just below her chest. Bloody hell, she was pregnant.

"It's a baby, not a thing," she was speaking to him. Draco focused in on her face, still scowling slightly at his realization that there was no denying this predicament. She had placed her hand on the bump protectively and her face was devoid of any expression as she said, "You may stay or leave as you please but do not call this baby a thing. It is a he or she." She dropped her hand away and resumed writing on her paper.

Draco found himself mildly surprised by her defense of the baby. He had expected she would hate it, especially seeing how it came into being. He didn't know how he felt about it just yet. Half of him hated the fact it existed as proof of what his aunt did, while the other half was floundering trying to figure out what to do about it.

She finished filling out the paperwork and stood up from her seat. She looked up at him from beneath sooty lashes and said, "Excuse me." Her voice was still soft but it held a note of firmness to it.

He stepped to the left letting her pass by to turn in her paperwork to the witch behind the reception desk. When she finished and turned around, he was back in her path again.

He reached out to take her chin in his hand, but she flinched so he dropped his hand to his side. "You obviously traveled by Floo but why did you not clean yourself up?" He couldn't avoid himself from asking her that.

"I have no wand yet," she told him without any hint of deceit in her voice. "You disarmed me and they took my borrowed wand as evidence."

Draco stared at her. She was definitely Looney Lovegood. No witch or wizard in their right mind would admit to being completely defenseless to someone who they would consider their enemy. By rights as a Ravenclaw she should have come up with a clever tale as to why she was still carrying the grime of the Floo Network on her. So why would she tell him, her prior kidnapper, that she had nothing to fight him off? He could curse her two ways into next week and with an Obliviate spell she'd never know it.

He drew his wand from his sleeve and pointed it at her. Luna's eyes widened with fear, remembering the last time she had been at the end of his elm wand. All it would take is one spell...

"_Scourgify."_

When he was finished, every bit of the soot and ash was gone from her. She no longer resembled a street urchin, her appearance decidedly improved. His nose noted from this distance within a foot of her, he could still detect the pleasant smell of wild honeysuckle from her. He shoved the thought from his brain viciously.

"Thank you," she told him. His mother had once long ago taught him some manners and he said a terse, "Your welcome." He lowered his wand.

"Miss Lovegood we'll get your paperwork processed and bring you back," the receptionist said from behind Luna. The witch's keen eyes drifted over Luna to pin Draco with a stare as she said, "Please refrain from using magic in this office sir. Although this is not the day Muggles come in to be seen, there is a slim chance that an emergency can arise."

"What?" Draco tossed the receptionist a horrified look before turning that same face upon the girl in front of him. "You're seeing a Mediwizard that treats Muggles?" He could already hear his father and mother's reactions. Thank Merlin his mother hadn't come. She'd be as offended as he was. His father would never have set foot in the office. He tucked his wand back into his sleeve.

"Yes," Luna replied looking him straight in the eyes. He lifted one brow and both her own brows lifted together in challenge to his. "If you have a problem with that you can leave as you please."

It was the second time she had said as much and he exploded, "Quit saying that! I am not leaving so bloody well forget about asking that!"

She had taken a step back at his sudden outburst and even the receptionist was regarding him with a leery eye. He clenched his fists, taking a few calming breaths before speaking again. His voice was quiet but commanding as he said, "Don't say that again."

She mutely nodded her head and he expelled a large breath that eased his tension. He stepped aside from her again and she sat down in one of the waiting room chairs. Uneasy, he took the chair across from her so that he could observe her while they waited.

Luna didn't fidget like so many others might as she sat there. She was perfectly still; her eyes occassionally landing on him and staring at him as he stared upon her. He found himself pondering what she was thinking every time she looked at him.

His mother had filled him in on everything she knew about the girl. He knew she didn't remember what Bellatrix had done to the two of them anymore than he did. His defense wizard had practically crowed about that information, thinking it would mean the charges would be dropped against Draco. The Minister of Magic had not been so obliging.

Draco should have been cleared of the charges - he knew he would have been cleared for the _flimsy at best _kidnapping charges - if not for that damn new Minister of Magic Kinglsey Shacklebolt. The wizarding laws which had ruled for hundreds of years, favoring those of pureblood magic; those laws were being changed under the new Minister's reign. His defense lawyer had told him as much after the charges stood against him, indicating that the Ministry meant to make an example out of Draco.

He'd still stand trial, but for now he was out of the Ministry's custody with a tracer charm on him. His limited freedom was a small boon, he couldn't leave the country of Britian; but Draco had felt a small measure of relish when he had seen Potter and Weasley's faces at the news of his temporary release.

When he had joined his parents at home, he had been surprised by what his mother had learned of Luna Lovegood. Too many at Hogwarts including her own friends would have guessed her to be half blood and of no breeding at all. When Narcissa had told Draco she was descended from the Irish O'Brien's, a wizarding family of some merit and with centuries old ties to the Black family back in the seventeeth century. The O'Brien's were also known to be sorted into Slytherin or Ravenclaw and had a knack for handling investments. He had found himself intrigued by the information. All the relatives he had visited in his search for Luna had taken him to the Lovegoods on her father's side, the lot of them as poor as the Weasley family; he had assumed her to be the same.

He continued to scrutinize her as they waited, not bothering to hide his staring or look away. Neither spoke a word. After about fifteen minutes of this the receptionist said, "Miss Lovegood?" They both looked her way and she said, "You may go back in now."

Luna stood and so did he, rising at the same time. He waited until she had walked past him then fell into step behind her. Immediately he wished he hadn't. Now he was following the trail of that heady scent of honeysuckle. What the hell was in her shampoo?

"Back here," The receptionist had stood and led them back into the back offices. She bade them to enter a single room that had a counter with a sink, two chairs and an exam table. There were all kinds of charts on the wall that showed anatomical diagrams of pregnant women in various stages of pregnancy.

"There are gowns under there," The receptionist pointed towards the counter, "Please take off your clothes and put a gown on. Dr. Wallace will be with you in a moment." She closed the door.

Draco faced Luna who was regarding him with an unblinking stare. After a minute in which she did not move he growled, "What?" 

A blush formed upon her face as she said, "You need to leave."

Scowling he said, "I told you not to say that."

"I mean the room. I'm not undressing here in front of you."

Now he could feel his own embarrasment over realizing she'd need her privacy for that. Color was about to pop up in his cheeks and he'd be damned if he'd let her see that he was just as embarrassed as she was. "Bloody hell!" He opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall. How had his life become this mess? Draco wanted nothing more than to wake up from the nightmare that surrounded him. His life had become a living hell the moment Harry Potter had crashed down the study door and slammed his fist into Draco's nose.

After a few minutes he heard her voice through the door, "Draco you can come back in." He pushed open the door striding inside.

She had her arms wrapped around herself in one of those silly roundnecked, short sleeved hospital gowns that tied in the back. They were notorious for gaping and leaving bums to be observed from behind. Luna was sitting on the exam table at this point with her back to the wall so there was no chance of that happening thankfully.

Her clothes were neatly folded and sitting on the counter. He sat down in the chair next to the counter and their awkward silence resumed for a moment.

He was observing her shirt on the counter, an emerald green color and his Hogwarts house colors when she asked out of nowhere, "Do you remember anything?" He swung his glance towards her, lifting a brow at her question. Her slender throat swallowed nervously and she licked her lips before asking, "Do you remember anything about that night?"

He shifted his legs so that they were crossed before him in the chair. Draco ran a hand over his hair, pushing it back from his eyes as he pondered her question. Finally he decided to tell her the truth saying, "No." He pretended ignorance to an answer that he already knew as he asked, "Do you remember anything?"

He expected her to shake her head and say no, but he was alarmed as she said, "Maybe...I don't know." Her voice had been hesitant.

He sat forward in his seat. He started to ask, "What do you mea-" as the door opened and a woman with black hair that was streaked with silver, indicative of her age, entered the room. She was wearing a white jacket with her name tag reading _Dr. Wallace_. She had blue eyes and a narrow build. She was holding a medical jacket in her hand, open perusing the contents.


	13. Chapter 13

_Where The Heart Is_

_Dr. Wallace's Office, London_

"Hello Luna," Dr. Wallace greeted as she entered, her voice warm and husky. It reminded Luna of someone who had just drunk firewhiskey for the first time and had to clear their their throat. Luna smiled at the doctor from where she sat. "Hello Dr. Wallace," she greeted softly.

Dr. Wallace looked at Draco and smiled at him saying, "Hello. You must be the father. I'm Dr. Wallace. Lynn Wallace."

Draco stood to his feet and said, "Draco Malfoy." Luna heard him put every ounce of importance behind his family's name into the inflection of his tone. The doctor's blue eyes blinked a bit in surprised recognition. She must be a reader of the Daily Prophet and known the Malfoy family name had been strewn about recently in it.

"Nice to meet both of you," Dr. Wallace said pleasantly. She turned to Luna and began to check her vital signs, taking her blood pressure, getting her vital signs and weight checked. She also began to ask questions. Luna answered each one carefully trying not to blush at having Draco Malfoy listen to them. There were typical overall health questions along with family health history questions. Luna asked a few questions of her own as well relating to her morning sickness and afternoon naps.

Once they had settled the questions, Dr. Wallace began to fiddle with the exam table unhinging compartments. Luna's eyes widened to the size of saucers as two long metal bars with stirrups on them appeared from the table and were locked into place.

The doctor was talking while she fixed the table up and said, "We'll get your blood tests done after the pelvic exam and we'll take a urine sample." Dr. Wallace consulted her file again. She picked out a document that Luna recognized by the Ministry seal on the top. "You're coming in next week for an amniocentesis?" she was scanning the Ministry ordered document.

Luna glanced at Draco, wondering if he was aware of the order. She could tell by the blank look on his face that he had no idea what it was. She hadn't been aware either until the offical letter had been delivered to her via Ministry owl.

"Yes ma'am," she eyed the stirrups that had just been produced. Mrs. Weasley had told her what they were for and she was _not_ looking forward to that part of the exam at all. She felt her legs move closer together under her gown just at the thought of it.

"I'd advise against it," Dr. Wallace was frowning as she continued to read. "Taking the test in these early weeks is more risky than if we did it at say twenty weeks. The risk to your baby is greater and - Ohh." The doctor must have finally caught on to the importance of the letter because she looked up between Luna and Draco.

Draco was frowning asking, "What?"

It was Luna who explained it saying, "The Ministry has ordered a DNA test for evidence." She folded her arms about her tighter. The mediwizard's office was kept colder than the summery outdoors and and the hospital gown was starting to make her feel like she was standing in front of an icebox. Her arms were already developing goosebumps and there was a chill at her back where the gown gaped some.

"What!" Draco tossed her an accusing look.

She wasn't surprised by his reaction but she was getting tired of his temper flaring every few minutes at her, for things out of her control. It didn't take a huge amount of courage, just a thinning patience for Luna to tell him calmly, but quite clearly, "Please do not keep shouting at me. It is getting you and I nowhere and I shall end up telling you to leave, not asking."

She expected he would send back a snide remark. Ginny, Ron and Harry had all warned her that Draco had to get the last remark in. She watched him open his mouth once more and she lifted her brows together in challenge, her intention clear. If he lost his temper again, she _would _make good on her promise to throw him out.

For a moment it was a staredown between them and then she felt a bit of triumph as he sat back down closing his mouth. She didn't miss his jaw tighten, reigning in the angered emotions he was prone to naturally.

She couldn't let herself get distracted by her short victory though. The stirrups were the next challenge she would meet and she had a feeling she wasn't going to win that one.

"Dr. Wallace?" she asked gaining the attention of the woman who had been watching their exchange with a concerned look. She had a good idea what the doctor was thinking and she said, "There are particulars regarding my pregnancy that are very sensitive." She felt herself at a loss to explain how it had come to be and cast a look at Draco.

He must have picked up the nonverbal cue she had given because he scowled from his seat and said in a normal if somewhat growling tone, "Neither one of us bloody remembers the night this baby was made." His gaze flung to her though, and she knew he was thinking of the words she had spoken right before Dr. Wallace had entered.

Luna couldn't explain that to him right but but she did feel some relief because of him. Not only had he had taken over the explanation but he also had not referred to the baby as 'that thing' again. She had been hurt when he had called the baby that. It shouldn't have offended her terribly, it was Draco Malfoy after all, but it did.

Draco's voice was cold like his mothers as he told the doctor, "All you need to know Dr. Wallace is that charges are being investigated and that if you breathe a bloody word of this to any newspapers in the whole world my family will make sure you never practice medicine anywhere ever again." He had pinned Dr. Wallace with his most severe gaze as he charged her, "You got that?"

Luna heaved a sigh she felt both mentally and physically. He had not managed to intimidate her but that didn't stop a bully from trying.

Dr. Wallace, the victim of the current threat, was offended by Draco and made no bones to say in a polite, but less than pleasant voice, "Doctor-patient confidentiality would forbid me to say anything Mr. Malfoy so you can be assured that no newspapers shall be involved by my offices or by _me_."

Luna could feel the tension that had suddenly grown thick within the room. It was causing a small amount of distress that only worsened as Dr. Wallace turned back to her saying, "Luna put your feet in the stirrups."

Her hands were clasping her upper arms so tight she was positive her knuckles must be white. Luna flicked a glance at Draco and said, "Would you please leave the room again?" 

He stood to his feet and she was relieved for a moment until he said, "No." 

"What?" Luna's lips pursed slightly as he denied her request.

"You heard me."

"Mr. Malfoy if Luna wants you to wait outside, then I must insist you wait outside," Dr. Wallace turned away from the exam table, taking Luna's side in the matter.

"I have as much right to be here as she does for this exam," Draco's pale face was set with mottled determination as he spoke. "I'm staying or I'll have your license to practice revoked. My father can see to it." 

Now Luna could understand why Harry, Ron and Ginny always kept insisting that Draco was a 'right foul git.' When he didn't get his way, he was like a child who immediately threw a temper tantrum to get what he wanted. Did Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy just give in every time he did this? Did he always just deliver ultimatums?

Before Dr. Wallace could try to remove him again, Luna chided, "Draco Malfoy that was uncalled for." At her tone, his gaze swung to her in disbelief that she had actually spoken to him like a petulant child. "You owe Dr. Wallace an apology." She pointed at the stirrups saying, "Right now she has to do something called a pelvic exam. It's rather personal," her cheeks were heating up as she spoke just thinking about it, "And that is the only reason you were asked to leave the room."

"Lovegood, we've gotten as personal as two people can get. I doubt there's anything left to be private." he smarted back to her. Her gaze locked with his, both unblinking and neither standing down for a long minute.

This was ridiculous. She didn't want to give in, but she also was smart enough to realize there were such things as compromises. Dr. Wallace was glancing back and forth between the two before asking, "Luna?" looking for direction on her wishes in this situation.

She looked away from Draco first. He was probably celebrating his victory over this particular moment but it would be short lived as she told Dr. Wallace, "He can stay.." her voice trailed off and then she looked back at Draco and pointed to the spot next to the exam table. "But you stay up here by my head and you face the wall."

He snorted, but did as he was bade coming to stand next to the exam table where she would have to lay back. He turned towards the wall and she caught his muttered, "How childish is this?"

"As much as you wish."

Her clever retort earned another look of disbelief from him. Her voice regained its strength as she said, "Eyes to the wall Draco. That was the agreement."

He turned his head away from looking at her. Luna grimaced but not towards him. She grimaced at what was to come.

After the pelvic exam was over, Luna determined if there was ever another wizarding war, she'd recommend that particular form of torture to the Ministry for interrogation practices. She was red-faced as Dr. Wallace helped her remove her feet from the stirrups and adjust her gown down around her knees again.

"We're going to draw some blood now. I also need you to go across the hall into the bathroom and try to give us a sample ," Dr. Wallace maintained her professional manner at all times. "When I get back we'll discuss your due date and also we're going to check the baby's heartbeat."

"Can you do that?" Luna found herself leaning forward to ask, holding her breath for the answer. Draco turned around from facing the wall.

"It's not the same as the Muggle sonogram," Dr. Wallace smiled at her with a reassuring smile. "Those are really fantastic. You get to see the baby's body and take a picture home. Unfortunately the machines short out around Magic folk." She cleared her throat saying, "That's why my husband tends to the Muggles."

Draco was looking like he had eaten a slimy earthworm at the mention of Muggle folk. His lips were pursed together, his nose curled up like his mother's sometimes did as if smelling something terrible, and his eyes had narrowed in disapproving fashion.

"But," Dr. Wallace continued, "I've fashioned a way to listen for the heartbeat using my wand and an old phonograph." She stood up from where she had been sitting at the end of the exam table between the stirrups. Lowering them down and putting them back into their compartments she said, "It works quite well and there's no chance of our magic interrupting electric circuits because they have none."

Luna could feel excitement blooming in her chest. "I'm looking forward to it."

"I'll send in my nurse to draw your blood. Then you'll need to cross the hall," Dr. Wallace pointed. "And after you're done just come back in here and we'll finish up." 

Luna nodded. "Thank you," she said to the doctor. She curled her arms around herself again as the cold temperature of the room chilled her again.

Dr. Wallace and Draco didn't speak to each other as the older woman left the room. Luna sat up straighter on the table, swinging her legs around so she could face him. He was already turned facing her and he loomed over her asking, "What do you mean by maybe you remember?"

She tilted her head up so she could view him properly and immediately wished she hadn't. Something about this closeness hit a panic button inside her and her throat closed up blocking her breath. Fear lanced through her body and Luna cried, "NO!" Her hands moved of their own accord, shoving hard at his chest and pushing him back. He hit the wall behind him.

Draco caught himself on the wall, regaining his balance and cursed, "What the hell Lovegood?'

Her heart was beating loudly to her own ears, her vision going hazy from lack of oxygen. She bent over, ducking her head between her knees trying to suck in air and calm herself when all she wanted to do was bolt for the door and never turn back.

The nurse chose that moment to enter. She was bearing a tray of needles which got put quickly onto the counter when she saw Luna hunched over. "Are you okay?" She rushed over putting her hand on Luna's back. "Are you feeling nauseous?"

Luna shook her head and closed her eyes, trying to pull her most calming thoughts into her head. She pictured the Rookhouse with her garden, the crab apple trees that flanked either side of the doorway, the wildflowers that would be in bloom right now along the jagged path up to her home. How she wished she was there right now.

She could feel her heart rate slowing down, no longer pounding in her ears. Her breathing also returned to normal. She opened her eyes to see Draco staring at her with a look she'd seen many time on the students' faces at school. It was always followed by the question _Are you mental?_

The nurse was still patting her back cautiously and Luna straightened back up assuring, "I'll be fine," in her calmest voice possible. "Eventually."

"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt," the nurse told her. "Alot of new mother's panic over getting their bloodwork taken. I'll be so gentle you won't even notice the prick of the needle." She gave Luna's arm a reassuring squeeze.

Luna didn't correct her mistake in thinking she was fearing the needles. She barely paid attention while the nurse prepped her arm and took the necessary bloodwork. Her gaze was locked silently with Draco's again, unspoken questions hovering between them.

After the blood was drawn, she was led by the nurse to the bathroom across the hall. She kept the back of her gown closed and chose to walk backwards out of the room so as not to flash him. Her cheeks were still spotted with color when she returned after leaving the sample requested by the doctor.

Upon her return to the room, she hoisted herself on the exam table again, starting to dislike it very much. Draco was sitting in the chair again, his elbow resting on the counter and his chin propped in his fingers. He regarded her evenly as he asked, "What was that about?"

"I don't know," Luna answered him honestly. "You were..." she felt the fear trying to constrict her again and she hesitated a moment willing it away, "...too close to me."

He didn't know how to respond to that and she didn't know how to explain it any better. More silence ruled until he shifted his legs and asked, "What did you mean when you said that maybe you remembered?"

Luna shook her head, "I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders beneath the gown and in her quiet voice said, "I thought maybe I had remembered something but I can't be sure."

He leaned forward in his chair fixing her with a stare. "What do you think you remember?"

"I can't tell you."

"Yes you will." 

"No," Luna stated firmly. "I cannot." She lifted her chin and informed him, "Actually I shouldn't have let you in here at all today. The ministry has forbidden contact between you and I."

She had succeeded in distracting him for a moment because there was a pause as he thought about that and his next question was, "Then why did you let me stay?"

"I don't know." Luna didn't think it could be pity that had caused her to let him stay. It was definitely not because of his churlish side that appeared everytime he thought he couldn't stay. She regarded him thoughtfully and then said, "I suppose I am curious."

"Curious?" His voice was full of skepticism.

She didn't get to say another word though because the door opened again and Dr. Wallace backed through the door, bringing a cart with an old phonograph player on it. "Here we are," she said pulling it over in front of the exam table in between Luna and Draco.

Draco stood up moving around so that he could look at the device and Luna. Luna watched as Dr. Wallace extracted her wand from her coat and attached it to a tube that was connected to the phonograph. "Are you ready to hear the heartbeat?"

For the first time that morning Luna felt a smile on her lips as she nodded her head. She was instructed to lay back on the exam table which she did. Dr. Wallace turned the crank on the phonograph until it could not turn anymore. She adjusted a few switches and then drew her wand over Luna's stomach.

"_Sonocordis."_

The crank was spinning on its own on the phonograph as Dr. Wallace traced her wand gently over the swell beneath Luna's gown. From within the sound cylinder of the device, a fast lub-lub-lub throbbing echoed outward.

Luna inhaled a sharp breath upon hearing the sound as she stared at the lily shaped cylinder. It produced a steady whisper of noise that reminded her of the beat of a thestrals wings as it rose into the air. She felt a surge of joy at hearing the sound, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes in happiness.

"Very strong and steady," Dr. Wallace said adjusting a few knobs to make the sound even louder.

Luna turned her head away from looking at the phonograph, her gaze catching Draco's at nearly the same time. He looked thunderstruck, his gaze leaving hers and going back to the phonograph. She couldn't begin to guess at his feelings on hearing the baby's heartbeat. She knew her own reaction though because when he looked at her again, she had a radiant smile on her face and the tears of happiness had escaped her eyes.

**-HP-**

**Kat's Note: Sorry for the O/B lesson but yes.. the stirrups were a torture device invented for women. :P I'm kidding about the torture. Really. Thank you again for the reviews! I know who my biggest fans are and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next up: Luna visits Ollivander to get her new wand and finds someone unexpected at the Leaky Cauldron! **


	14. Chapter 14

_Outside Dr. Wallace's Office, London_

"Lovegood wait."

Luna's steps faltered as she heard Draco call to her but she didn't stop walking. The appointment had finished, Dr. Wallace told them she was due at the end of December around the week of Christmas. They had scheduled the required appointment for next week. Luna's stomach had turned to lead just thinking about it.

"I said wait!"

Draco appeared in front of her, having darted around around her to stop her mid-stride. She drew up short, knowing what he was going to ask even before he said it. "Why won't you tell me what you remember?"

Luna clenched the strap of her handbag tighter as she pondered how to answer his question best. Finally she said, "Because I don't know if it was my memory or not. I had a nightmare the other night about you. I don't know if it was just a dream because of what your mother said to me or if I remembered something." It was not cold outside but her skin was chilling just thinking of her nightmare. She tried to walk past him.

"Tell me about the nightmare," Draco requested blocking her path again.

"I can't." Luna threw up her hand as he opened his mouth to protest. "I can't!" She reiterated stating, "Harry told me the Ministry has forbidden me to speak with you or you family because of the trial." She gestured over her shoulder back towards the mediwizard's door. "It was too late to uninvite your mother when I had found out, but you're sure to be in even more trouble if they find out that _you _showed up Draco."

"Damn the ministry!" Draco cursed. "I have every right to be there." He let out an exasperated breath. He ran his hand through his hair, pulling at it momentarily in frustration as he eyeballed her. She could see the glint in his grey eyes that said she wasn't going to like his next words as he said, "And if they do find out I'll know you went running to Potter to tell them I was here." His voice went quiet as he said, "You let me stay so you're just as much in trouble as I am." 

"Probably," Luna agreed with a wary tone to her voice. She stared at him a moment before walking around him, intending to leave while he appeared to be lost in thought.

"Why did you let me stay?" She heard him ask from behind her. "What were you curious about?"

She paused and half turned towards him. She wrapped her arm around her stomach saying, "Your feelings about the baby." Her eyes searched his as she asked, her voice giving away her curiosity, "How doyou_ feel _about it Draco?"

He looked taken aback by the question for a moment and she had a vague notion he was confused by the whole thing. She wasn't prepared for his next words which were full of anger encompassing more than just her question on the baby. He took a step towards her and then back again his voice growling some as he said, "I _hate _the fact that my aunt has ruined my life. I _hate _that Potter is breathing down my neck every five minutes with the Ministry ready to throw me in Azkaban for every little thing. I _hate_ the fact that this baby exists because of my aunt's flight into madness went too far." His paused in his vehement rant, taking a deep breath.

"That's a lot of hatred," Luna said quietly.

His eyes flew to hers and he asked incredulously, "Aren't _you _angry at all about this? Your life was ruined too! You won't be able to go back to school in September you know. You won't be able to take your NEWTs and graduate. You'll be stuck raising this baby!" He let out a soft snort and then said scornfully, "Oh that's right. I forgot Looney Lovegood lives in her own little world full of crackpots and invisible animals."

"They're only invisible to those who don't believe and keep an open mind," Luna informed him quietly. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and informed him, "As for school, I can't be angry about that right now." That much was true. Luna never dwelled on the past like so many did because no amount of wishing could change it. The future was too uncertain and the only time she gave it any thought was knowing that someday she would be seeing her family members already passed, just beyond the veil.

Luna Lovegood lived in the present of the day and she said very seriously to Draco, "I'm too scared at the moment to be angry."

"You? Scared? What do you have to be scared about Lovegood?"

Luna took a step towards Draco asking, "Do you know what they do when they administer an amniocentesis Draco?" When his face showed a blank look she informed him on what she had read on it. By the time she was done listing the risks: miscarriage, preterm labor, deformities, fetal trauma and other complications, his face was paler and he looked as ill as she had upon first reading of them.

"I can't be angry about the future or what happened three months ago," she told him. "What's done is done. I have to think about this baby and how to protect it from everything that's going on." She continued to step towards him until she was standing a foot in front of him. He was several inches taller than she, causing her to lift her head to look at him.

"Why do you care so much about the baby?" He asked her. "Don't you _hate_ it? Don't you _hate _my family? Don't you.." he hesitated before asking, "_hate me_?"

"Well," Luna's eyes took on that dreamy quality as she gave his question some thought. "I don't like that you're always angry when things aren't going the way you want," she informed him. "I don't like your mother's obsession with my blood status." After a tiny pause she said, "I do like your family's choice in birds. Your mother's owl was quite beautiful and your peacock was quite a proud bloke."

He was staring at her like she was insane, but then that's how most looked upon her. She finished her analysis by telling him, "I don't know how I feel about you Draco. I know what you've done to my friends. I know what they've done to you in return. When I was a prisoner in your house, your aunt used an unforgivable curse upon me, but that was her, not you nor your mother or father." He was still listening to her so she said, "I don't hate this baby. It's part of me just as it is part of you. It's part of my father and mother, part of your mother and father..." her voice trailed off and she shook her head restating, "I don't hate him or her."

Silence fell between them again and Luna noted that Draco appeared to be thinking over what she had said. She didn't know what possessed her to do it, perhaps it was the pensive look on his face mixed with confusion, that drove her to reach out and take his hand, drawing it to her to touch the curve where her stomach was swelled out. She flattened his palm there, keeping his hand covered with her own and said gently, "I hope you don't hate this baby Draco."

He stared down at her stomach a most peculiar look crossed his face. It was a mixture of helplessness, agony, despair and hope. She didn't know what to make of it.

**-HP-**

When she had left Draco, he had offered to apparate her back to her home but she had refused stating she had errands to run. He would have insisted on coming along but had begged off the moment she had mentioned visiting Mr. Ollivander. Luna understood he wasn't ready to face the wandmaker yet.

Luna had gone back to Diagon Alley, visiting the apothecary shop to get Floo powder for Mrs. Weasley and to get a prescription filled that Dr. Wallace had given her. She had to hold her nose while in the shop; the smells of bad eggs and rotting cabbages upon entering had turned her stomach and caused her to gag uncontrollably.

She was glad to be taking tea with Mr. Ollivander once she left the apothecary, hoping it would help calm her stomach and control her reflex to hurl at the stench she had just left behind. As she opened the shop door a tinkling of a bell sounded in the back of the shop.

"I'll be with you in just a moment," Garrick Ollivander's raspy, wizened old voice sounded from the back.

"Mr. Ollivander it's me, Luna Lovegood," she called out to let him know she was there. She stopped just short of his counter, looking around at the many tiny narrow boxes piled all over the place.

The first time she had visited Mr. Ollivander's shop was two weeks before she had started school at Hogwarts. She remembered clutching her father's hand tight when they had come to pick out her new wand. Or rather, as she had learned upon her first visit, her wand had chosen her. It had taken nearly an hour of tape measuring her arm and trying several wands before she had felt the spark of warmth from a white elm wand with a unicorn hair core.

She smiled at the memory, wondering even now what had become of the beautiful wand which had been solely hers until it had been taken from her. Had its allegiance changed to another when she'd been disarmed?

"Miss Lovegood!" She was distracted from her thoughts when Mr. Ollivander stepped out of the backroom, greeting her warmly. She came around the counter, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.

Although his frame was still thin and rickety, his complexion had regained its full color since she had last seen him going to Bill's Aunt Muriel's to recuperate. Luna was pleased to note that even though his shoulders still stooped, but then perhaps they always had, he seemed much improved and had lost the haunted, ghostly pale demeanor that had dominated him the entire time they'd been in captivity.

"Mr. Ollivander," she went forward, embracing him gently before stepping back to hold his hands saying, "I'm so pleased you're looking well."

"My dear child," he smiled back at her and looked her up and down, examining her as well before exclaiming, "My word! What is this?" He was staring at her belly.

Luna colored slightly and licked her lips which suddenly seemed to be dry. "I'm pregnant," she told him and then said, "I shall tell you about it over your offer of tea."

**-HP-**

They talked for a long time. Mr. Ollivander had locked the shop door and left a sign out indicating he'd gone to lunch. They had slipped into the rooms over the shop, where he had proceeded to make tea for them.

While they sat and drank, Luna told him a stunted version of how she came to be in her condition. He had reacted as Harry had, blaming himself partly for being unable to protect her while they'd been imprisoned.

Luna wondered why so many others were trying to take the blame for her predicament. Surely they must realize that there was nothing they could have done - Harry didn't even know where she was being held and Mr. Ollivander had been at death's door unable to help himself, let alone her - so why were they so insistent that they were at fault?

She turned the conversation back to him, inquiring as to his recovery with the Weasley's Aunt Muriel. He had reddened slightly and then informed her that he had managed well enough considering.

"Considering what?" Luna had asked, alarmed to think there may have been something to hinder his recovery.

"She was quite fond of her daily tonic," Mr. Ollivander told her and then said, "She knew the good of it and tried several times to get me to join her in a daily drink of it." His eyes were twinkling slightly in humor. 

Luna shot him a confused look. "Isn't tonic good for recovery?"

"Not as she took it," Mr. Ollivander chuckled at something and Luna in her naivety didn't understand.

"Never you mind that my dear," he waved a hand and took a final sip from his tea. "Have another biscuit," he encouraged holding the plate out to her. The biscuits were vanilla with a layer of raspberry jam sandwiched between and then dusted with powdered sugar.

Luna, who had already helped herself to six biscuits declined saying, "No, I appreciate it but I have had too many already."

He set the plate down and then said, "I'll clean this up," indicating their drinks and then asked, "Now are you ready for your new wand dear?" The twinkle had returned to his eye, suggesting that he was as excited to be giving her the new wand as she was to receive it.

Luna nodded her head, her smile widening in anticipation.

Mr. Ollivander stood and wandered over to a shelf in his office. He picked up a thin box with a blue lid turning and walking over to present it to her.

Luna took the box from Ollivander laying it on his desk which had sat between them while they visited. She opened the lid on the box, discovering the contents inside had been covered with a velvet cloth.

She drew aside the cloth, gasping softly and reaching out to lift the new wand from its bed of velvet.

"White elm," Ollivander told her while she marvelled at the new wand, feeling warmth infuse her hand the moment she had picked it up. "Thirteen inches." And then he dropped his voice to say, "Now as you know Miss Lovegood, the cores that I typically use are dragon heartstring, unicorn hair and phoenix feathers." He sat back in his chair, looking at her wand with appraising eyes and said, "Can you guess the core of your new wand?"

Luna held her wand carefully as she thought about his question. She finally asked, "Unicorn hair?" Having surmised it to be similar to her old wand.

"No," Mr. Ollivander looked entirely too pleased for her guess to have been even close. He leaned forward and said, "I took great care in selecting the core of your new wand my dear. You are exceedingly clever which had me asking myself, what manner of creature best matches this bright, brave girl?" 

Luna, struck a little speechless by the compliments that he was bestowing on her, shook her head not being able to guess correctly.

"Sphinx hair!" he told her, leaning forward across her desk. He held out a hand for her new wand and she placed it into his palm as he examined it closely. "Quite a violent species so it's very difficult to obtain but it is one of the most highly clever beasts out there. This is the first of a new type of core that I plan on making." He stroked the wand with loving care before handing it back to her. "For you my dear Miss Lovegood."

"It's beautiful," Luna told him accepting her new wand. She could feel it warm her palm the moment she touched it. She examined the straight length of wood, noting that he had carved a symbol into the bottom of it. Upon closer inspection she found it to be a hare.

"You remembered!" She looked at Mr. Ollivander astonished and showed him the carving she had discovered. Among the many things Luna had talked with him about during their time together, sharing the story of Harry teaching them how to use the Patronus charm had been one of the things she had told him. She had described her corporeal patronus to him, remarking how bright it had been and how it reminded her of better, happy memories even in the dark basement.

"Yes," Mr. Ollivander chuckled. Luna put down her wand and got up from her chair as he did the same. She went around the desk and said, "Thank you so much." She embraced his frame, hugging him like she would her own grandfather.

"No my child. It is I who must thank you," he said while hugging her back. "Too often down there I had considered giving up when you appeared." He stepped back to observe her, tears unshed in his pale eyes. "You were an angel who kept me alive, sharing your own food and water when we had so little to begin with, talking to me after every torture, telling me stories." His voice began to crack and Luna felt moisture beginning to gather in her own eyes in response.

"I didn't tell you," he said when he had regained back some of his composure,"but while we were imprisoned my grandson added another to my family." His face lit up as he spoke and he said, "I was able to see my first great-grandchild last month because of you Miss Lovegood."

Tears were leaking out of her eyes and Luna lifted her shirtsleeve trying to wipe them away. She confessed, "You kept me alive too Mr. Ollivander." She reached out to take his hands and squeeze them saying, "If you hadn't been there, I might really have become Looney Lovegood."

"Such a terrible nickname," Mr. Ollivander tutted having heard her tales of what the other kids had called her. "Anyone who knows you well Miss Lovegood would know you're just as sane as I am."

She felt laughter bubbling from around her tears as she agreed, "I tell people that all the time."

**-HP-**

When Luna had left Ollivander's she had promised to come back and visit anytime she was in London. She had her new wand tucked behind her ear and had been pleased when she found the wood was thin enough in just the right place to be tucked their securely without the danger of it falling out. Mr. Ollivander really _had _created the perfect wand for her.

She wound through Diagon Alley until she reached the Leaky Cauldron. She entered the inn heading towards the fireplace to use the Floo. She had her hand in her bag rummaging for the sachet of floo powder when she heard her name called by a familiar voice.

"Luna!"

"Hermoine!"

Luna turned around, the sight of Harry and Ron's best girl friend filling her vision. She looked exactly the same as she had at Fred's funeral, with the exception of her hair being a tad longer. She was beaming as she spotted Luna, leaving her spot at the bar to head over to the fireplace.

"When did you get in?" Luna asked as they embraced briefly.

"Just a bit ago I flew into Heathrow," Hermoine explained. She was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and denim jacket carrying her beaded handbag with the undetectable extension charm on it. "I managed to find my parents in Australia finally." 

"Oh that's wonderful!" Luna beamed happy for her friend. "Did they fly back with you?"

"No," Hermoine suddenly laughed and opened her beaded bag. She slid her wand out of her jacket saying, "_Accio newspaper."_ A newspaper appeared out of the bag, folded in quarters. Hermoine handed it to Luna saying, "I was able to recover their memories thankfully but they have to finish things up in Australia before they come back."

Luna looked at the headline of the muggle newspaper her eyes widening as she asked, "Did he really do this?" The picture with the accompanying article, truly was worth a thousand words.

Hermoine nodded, barely supressing a giggle. "It's because of that article that I was able to find them at all," she informed Luna.

**-HP-**

"Your father really pulled a crocodile's tooth from its mouth?" Ginny was reading the article published in the Australian paper that Hermoine had brought back.

They were in the Burrow seated at the table. Luna and Hermoine had flooed back there. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had been thrilled that Hermoine was back. Mrs. Weasley had admonished her for not sending an owl. Hermoine had told them there wasn't enough time. Mrs. Weasley had dispatched an owl to the Ministry to notify Harry and Ron of her return. In the meantime the girls were catching each other up on the news over lunch.

"Oh yes," Hermoine nodded her head. "I told you they were dentists right? Well, even though they didn't remember who they really were, my father seemed to know what to do for that crocodile when nobody else did. After I returned their memories, he said the crocodile was a better patient than most of the kids he had treated."

The news article was all about a local, grumpy crocodile that had been very cantakerous with the farmers in the area. A nature conservationist and his team of skilled crocodile hunters had tried to move the crocodile to a new location and in the process discovered the animal's rotted tooth. Mr. Granger who had been mixing in with the local population as a farmer, had assisted with ridding the crocodile of its problem.

"I'm shocked he didn't lose an arm," Ginny admitted closing the newspaper and handing it to Luna who peered at the front picture. Mr. Granger was holding the rotted tooth smiling with another bloke by the name of Irwin and behind them was the crocodile with ropes and several people keeping it pinned down.

"How exciting," she wished she could have been there observing it or doing something like the conservationist had been doing.

"Well thankfully that story made the news because when I spotted Dad and Mum I knew straight away where to find them." Hermoine said this around a spoonful of soup that Mrs. Weasley had made for lunch. She withdrew the spoon, "They've got to sell off the sheep farm they had started and then they'll be flying back here to resume their dentist practice."

They discussed the past few weeks she had spent in Australia and after Hermoine had finished eating she set her spoon down next to her bowl saying, "Now will the two of you tell me what is going on around here?" She was eyeballing Luna's stomach which she had been prone to do since they left the Leaky Cauldron. Luna hadn't wanted to talk in such a public place and so had promised to fill her in on the story back at the Burrow.

For the second or was it the third? time that day, Luna repeated the story for Hermoine's benefit, leaving out only the parts she had never shared with someone else.

**-HP-**

Hermoine's reaction was remarkably different than that of Harry and Mr. Ollivander's. She didn't fuss over the fact she hadn't gotten there earlier to save Luna, instead just stating, "That complete cow! I swear if Mrs. Weasley hadn't already Aveda Kadevra'd her I'd wish the three of us had done it!" They had unsuccessfully battled Bellatrix before Mrs. Weasley had taken over and did what they could not.

"We could always go torture Draco into the truth," Ginny suggested with a glint in her eye that did not altogether mean she was just kidding.

Luna, who had kept the news of his visit to the mediwizard's office silent along with the information that he too had possibly been victimized by Bellatrix just said, "Ginny Weasley I do hope you're joking."

Ginny made a moue of innocence at Luna and Hermoine laughed at the two of them. Mrs. Weasley who had been coming in and out during their conversation, keeping an eavesdropping ear on it the entire time, entered the room saying, "Luna this owl just came from the Ministry for you." She handed it to her.

Luna accepted the letter and broke the seal. She read the contents of the letter her eyes widening at it. The two Weasley women and Hermoine looked at her as she lifted her eyes from the parchment.

"I'm being summoned to the Ministry tomorrow for a hearing," she told them. She offered the letter out to Hermoine, she was better versed at understanding the legal process. Hermoine read it, gaping lightly at the words.

"It's an injunction," Hermoine told Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. "At least that's what they call it under Muggle law. The Malfoy family has filed a motion to stop the ministry from ordering Luna to have the amniocentesis." She read the rest of the legal jargon, translating it to state that the test was being requested to be dismissed as harmful, negligent and wrongful to the legal rights of the defendant Draco Malfoy.

The summons were the talk of the afternoon, each of them speculating would happen the next day. When Harry and Ron returned from work, they also knew of the injuction that had been filed. Harry was the one who was most upset. Ron had slipped out into the backyard for a private reunion with Hermoine.

"How in merlin's name did they find out about the test?" Harry was pacing the living room while Ginny and Luna watched him rant. "We already obtained samples of Draco's DNA from when he was held at the ministry but we withheld the information about the test." He pulled at the ends of his dark hair, the length starting to get long enough that Mrs. Weasley would soon be complaining of it.

"Isn't that illegal?" Ginny uttered the question.

"We planned to owl the Malfoy family about the test the morning Luna was scheduled for it," Harry tossed Luna a look she had begun to identify as his guilt over not telling her these things beforehand. "It would have been perfectly legal and we need this information since you can't remember the incident for yourself, Luna." He continued to pace and asked, "How did they know?"

Luna flicked a glance at Harry. She had been speaking to him less and less lately, but that was only because she still was upset with him on the whole. Listening to him rant, she could understand where his frustrations came from, but in her deepest of hearts, she was praying the halt order would be granted. She didn't know if Draco had been the one to file the motion after their conversation earlier; but it was spurning the tiniest flicker of hope in her, that he too, had felt something more towards the life inside her.

She tuned back in to the conversation just as Ginny and Harry were discussing the injunction; the possibilities of how good Draco's defense lawyer was and if they had bribed a ministry official to give up the information about the amnio.

She tuned back out, her thoughts lost on the ramification of the injuction and praying for the outcome of the hearing tomorrow.

**Kat's Notes: Thank you for the reviews! I really hope I've been able to bring Luna back into character from the last chapter which I understand I took her slightly off character! Hermoine's back which means 2 brains are better than one when it comes to solving mysteries! Look for more drama in the next chapter as the story moves to the courtroom! Hopefully you're not confused by Muriel's tonic...she seemed fond of the 'drink' as they put it and so presumably would love some gin with her tonic. Those taste alot like christmas trees!**


	15. Chapter 15

_The Judges Will Decide, The Likes Of Me Abide_

_Ministry of Magic, Level 10 Courtroom 8_

He hadn't slept a wink the night before. Draco's mother had fussed over him for letting another night get away with no sleep again. She had plied him with several cups of tea at breakfast, but he lacked the appetite to eat any of the breakfast being served. He had dressed in the clothes Neecy had laid out for him on his mother's request. He wore a somber, neatly pressed, black dress shirt, black pants and a grey robes for the hearing today.

His defense wizard, Hartley Yarborough a stout englishman with a receding, short hairline that made his ears look big and thick jowels, was already in the courtroom when he arrived acommpanied by his both his parents. He stood up the moment the Malfoy's appeared, clutching his briefcase close to himself.

"What news do you have Yarborough?" Narcissa was quick to ask him quietly. The room hadn't filled yet with the plum colored peerage that made up the Wizengamot. They had agreed to meet early to discuss the case.

"The same as you I expect," Yarborough glanced at Draco, but addressed his parents as they were the ones to hire him in the first place, one of the wizarding world's first defense wizards. It had not been common in the prior ministry to have a third party represent the defendant in charges made against them, but since Kingsley Shacklebolt had taken over, new decrees and laws were being passed every day and keeping up with them required someone knowledgeable in Wizarding law.

Yarborough had been a member of the Wizengamot prior to the ministry changes as of two months ago. He had been a supporter of Voldemort's blood purity policy, but not a direct Death Eater himself. His support though had been the subject of his dismissal by Shacklebolt. After losing his seat on the Wizengamot, he had been crafty enough to put his knowledge of the Ministry law and changes to work as an independent defense wizard, the first of many that were beginning to populate the wizarding world.

"The hearing today will determine if they can try to use an amnio test on the mother of the fetus to make charges against Draco," Yarborough reiterated. "I've summoned the court approved Mediwitch, Dr. Pujah, in this case to testify regarding the dangers and also Luna Lovegood."

Draco listened with half an ear, until Luna Lovegood's name was mentioned. He cast a swift glance at Yarborough asking, "Why is she going to be here?"

Yarborough lifted a hand stating to Draco, "She may actually be key to getting this motion granted. If what you said is true Draco about the girl being reluctant to have the test done, the Wizengamot may be inclined to decide in our favor." He dropped the hand and said, "At worst, we can always argue for more time to allow the fetus to grow to twenty weeks before they do the test more safely. That'd give you a few more weeks of freedom."

That meant they would still do the test. Draco snorted in annoyance. His mother clapped her hand on his shoulder, mistaking his annoyance for the charges being brought against him. She said, "It'll be alright Draco. They can't do this to you." Narcissa was trying very hard to be reassuring.

Draco moved out from beneath her hand, moving to take a seat while he watched the court fill up with mauve bedecked wizards and witches. His mind drifted back to the day before when Luna had grabbed his hand and placed it to her stomach. He wouldn't forget the look in her wide grey eyes as she spoke.

_"I hope you don't hate this baby Draco."_

There had only been a thin sheath of cotton that separated the palm of his hand from the rounded bump that housed his child.

_His child. His child whose heart had beat so fast and steady._

Draco inhaled a sharp breath at the memory of it. In those moments when he had heard the tiny staccato rhythm of the baby's heartbeat and when Luna had covered her hand over his as he touched that stretch of cloth across her belly, he had felt a strange surge of emotions. The first had been a helpless knowledge that he had no control over the situation he was currently in. The second feeling had been agony that some damn test performed too early or a lifetime sentence in Azkaban would permanently rip him away from moments of getting to know his own child. The third had been a fierce protectiveness that had gripped him, stirring a reaction to take action which had given him hope.

Looney Lovegood had the right idea at least once he had to admit. That child was part of him, part of his mother and father, part of his family. And the Malfoys protected their own from any harm or danger. There was no way in hell he'd let this test harm _his baby_.

Draco had apparated home and summoned Yarborough at once to demand he put a stop to the test. The test itself had been a surprise to his parents as it was to himself. Lucius and Narcissa's protests to the tests were not as his own. They had been shaken over the fact it would give evidence to a crime their son was being charged with. He didn't disuade them from thinking he felt the same. Draco had armed himself with their support to put forth the motion to stop the procedure.

The courtroom his hearing was taking place in had a desk and two chairs set up for the process. The walls of the room were red brick with ministry banners hung by iron nails. The room had been filling while he was lost in thought, and when Draco snapped his attention back to the room he counted twenty Wizengamot who had showed to observe the proceedings. Yarborough commented into his ear that less observers meant less opinions to sway. Draco wasn't sure if the wizard was implying it in a good way or a bad way.

He and Yarborough made their way to the desk and two chairs, sitting down upon them. When the dark skinned Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived to the center podium, he immediately called the hearing to order.

As the reasons for the hearing were being listed, Draco found himself glancing towards the doors. His parents were standing to the side, watching the proceedings. He didn't see anyone else yet in the court, but that was generally the way it worked. Ministry court hearings were rarely viewed by public eyes.

He straightened back around to regard the Wizengamot as Yarborough went through his spiel regarding Draco's civil rights regarding privacy on paternity tests. The Ministry had a reason for everything, including 'lost paperwork' as to why his family had not been informed of the court order for the test. That had spurned Yarborough to point out the negligence on paperwork is why the test itself could be deemed inaccurate.

"..and to decide what weight, if any, to give the DNA proof, you may consider any evidence offered bearing upon the accuracy and reliability of the test employed in the collection and analysis of the fetus. Regardless of the results of any DNA analysis from an amniocentesis, you may consider any other evidence offered to prove the identity of my client." Yarborough was arguing his point across to the Wizengamot causing some murmurs amongst those present.

Unfortunately for every argument Yarborough presented, it seemed that Shacklebolt had an equally sound rebuttal.

Shacklebolt's deep tone rang throughout the room as he addressed the room. "In admitting scientific evidence, the Ministry of Magic must make a threshold finding of facts with respect to the reliability of the methods offered when magic cannot be acted upon. If the Ministry determines that there is a sufficient foundation to warrant the admission of the evidence against Mr. Malfoy, the Ministry may, at its discretion, admit the evidence with appropriate instructions to the Wizengamot to consider the argued reliability of the proof in determining its credibility."

"So noted," Yarborough said glancing at the court scribe who was taking down every word. Draco looked inquiringly up at him, not understanding what had just occurred. Yarborough shook his head at Draco. They had not succeeded yet. "Minister," he addressed Shacklebolt, stepping towards the podium where the minister stood, "I'd like to call in my witness Dr. Pujah who is here to testify about the dangers posed by the amniocentesis to both the mother and the fetus."

"Bring in the witness," Shacklebolt informed him.

It was only a moment before a Mediwizard entered the room and sat in a chair that had been summoned for testimonial purposes.

Over the course of the next quarter hour, the mediwizard stated the medical facts of the amniocentesis, the procedure was it was done, the risks that may ensue as well as the percentage of incidents versus the successes.

While the mediwizard spoke, Draco could feel an insistent pounding in the back of his head, a slight dull throb like he was getting an oncoming headache. It worsened as the mediwizard confirmed what Luna had told him the day before about the possibility of harm coming to the baby in the early weeks of the pregnancy.

When Dr. Pujah had finished, Shacklebolt asked him point blank, "In your opinion Dr. Pujah is there a high risk to Mrs. Lovegood and the fetus in question?" 

"The risks are no different than any other time this procedure is done in the early weeks," Dr. Pujah answered.

His answer was so vague, that Draco wanted to shake him and make him give a more direct answer. He clenched his fist around his robes and bit his tongue to keep from giving a snide answer back. His reactions in the courtroom could influence the decisions made today. He wanted them in his favor.

While the doctor was leaving the stand, Yarborough leaned over to murmur to Draco, "I see a good deal of women who may be sympathetic to the mother." After saying that he stood up saying, "I'd like to call the mother in question as the next testimony, Luna Lovegood."

"Bring Miss Lovegood in please." Shacklebolt gestured to the wizard in charge of bringing the witnesses in and out.

Draco turned to watch her entry. The wooden double doors swung open and the wizard stepped out to escort Luna inside. When her face emerged from between the two slats of wood that separated the coutroom from the hallway, he found himself staring at her as had become his habit. She walked towards the center of the room, her chin raised, that here-but-not-here expression dominant on her face. She didn't glance his way once as the wizard escorted her to the chair that had been vacated by the Mediwizard.

She looked so calm, Draco couldn't begin to imagine what she was thinking. She sat down in the chair, facing the Wizengamot to her left, Draco and Yarborough to her right. She didn't fidget as she sat down, lacing her fingers together over her belly. To the untrained eye she looked like she couldn't be ruffled. To Draco who understood the need to protect their child, her crossed hands were a nonverbal warning that she was doing the same.

"Would you state your name and address for the record please Miss?" the court scribe asked.

"Luna Lovegood," she told them and gave them the address for the Rookhouse in Ottery St. Catchpole. She added, "However, my home was destroyed this past winter so I'm staying with my neighbors the Weasley family at this moment in time."

So that's where she'd been hiding this whole time. Draco felt a surge of annoyance with himself that he had not thought to check there once during his search for her. He should have known the Weasley's were likely to open their rundown burrow of a home. Of course, considering the fact that Xenophilius Lovegood had been willing to hand over the Weasley blood traitor son with Harry Potter and the mudblood Granger to the Death Eaters, he was mildly surprised the family had taken in Luna after what her father had done. His own family had never been so forgiving.

His thought was interrupted as Yarborough began to interrogate Luna, getting the first round since she was his witness.

"Miss Lovegood, you received notice by Ministry owl yesterday requesting your presence in this courtroom. Do you understand why you are here?"

She looked tiny in that large stone seat but unflappable as Luna responded, "Yes."

Yarborough left his seat and began to pace in front of Luna, pausing every time he asked a question or made a comment.

"Please inform us why you think you're here."

"To put a stop to the amniocentesis test."

"That's right," Yarborough nodded and then stressed, "The _Ministry ordered_ amniocentesis test." He continued to pace as he asked, "Miss Lovegood, please tell the Ministry your opinion of their orders."

"Yarborough," Shacklebolt spoke up, his tone holding a note of warning. "We are not here to discuss opinions, only the facts of the matter."

"But Minister," Yarborough turned to address him, "The fact of the matter is that the Ministry has ordered this test done on Miss Lovegood. Shouldn't her opinions and wishes about what happens to her own body be on record for fact purposes?"

For five minutes Yarborough and Shacklebolt went back and forth over whether or not to allow Luna's wishes to be addressed, Yarborough making sure to bring up the fact that the witness had never pressed any legal charges against Draco Malfoy to require a paternity test to be done. Shacklebolt was pointing out that the victim had been underage at the time of her original kidnapping and subsequent actions thereby allowing the Ministry to press charges on her behalf.

The argument came to a conclusion when Shacklebolt had to admit that though she had been underage at the time of her kidnapping, Luna had been declared 'of age' upon her seventeenth birthday by Ministry laws, so as a compromise to the defendant allowed her opinion to be given.

"Miss Lovegood," Yarborough asked again, "Please tell us.." he glanced at Shacklebolt before rephrasing his question so as not to attack the Ministry openly again, "how you feel about having an amniocentesis."

Luna looked at the Wizengamot members who were present, her eyes meeting everyone one of them before finally landing on Shacklebolt. "I don't want to have this test done." Her words seemed like they were for him alone. "I've read about the risks and I don't wish to gamble on the chances of something going wrong."

Shacklebolt was silent for a moment before picking up a sheaf of parchment saying, "Miss Lovegood during witness testimonies by not only yourself but Ginevra Weasley and Harry Potter, it has been stated that the defendant Draco Malfoy may have had cause as to your current condition and that if that was the case it would have been unwilling. Do you deny that you stated that?"

Luna shook her head but Shacklebolt said, "Please speak your responses so that it can be transcibed."

"No," she told him. "I said that."

Draco felt a twinge of annoyance at her admission. So maybe he wouldn't have slept with Luna Lovegood if someone had paid him a 100 galleons to do it, but he knew he was considered rather attractive by his feminine peers at Hogwarts. Her words pricked his pride just a little bit.

"And you've also suffered a memory loss which has impeded any case to be made," Shacklebolt told her. " Be reasonable Miss Lovegood, at this point we have no choice but to order the amniocentesis which will confirm if charges against Draco Malfoy may be warranted for proceeding."

"Was it not Shakespeare who said _reason and love keep little company together_?" Luna questioned. She spread her palm across her stomach and said, "I love this baby already Minister though he or she has yet to meet me. You will understand if I tell you that reason has left me when it comes to keeping him or her safe. Nothing you say can or will change my mind on that."

The Wizengamot was murmuring over her words and Yarborough who had sat down during Kinglsey's questions leaned over to Draco, a triumphant smirk on his face. "She's going to overturn this for us," he spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

Draco looked at Luna who was finally looking at him. Their gaze met and he wished he knew what was going on in her head. Her expression was uniquely curious as she tilted her head at him, like he was some kind of oddity she couldn't figure out.

Just as quickly as the thought came he felt himself scowling. He didn't want to think about what she may be thinking about. It shouldn't be his concern to think about her at all. And yet somehow with the worry over his child, came a concern for her as well.

"We will take your words into consideration," the Minister told Luna. "You may leave now."

"May I stay in the room to hear the decision?" Luna requested standing to her feet, facing the Minister of Magic.

The Wizengamot were whispering and talking lowly to themselves. Draco watched Luna walk over to stand opposite of where his parents stood by the door. She clasped her hands in front of her and turned her head to look at him again.

Their gazes locked once more and this time he saw her lips part ever so slightly as she mouthed, _Thank you._ The look in her eyes was one he never expected to see coming from anyone let alone someone out of Potter's friends. The glint in her grey eyes had been grateful.

Draco started like someone had hit him with a lightning bolt spell. He looked away quickly before he did something stupid like blush or react to her unspoken gratuity. That was something a pansy-ass like Longbottom would do. He sat forward, eyes locked on the court as they lowly debated where he couldn't eavesdrop.

Of course she was grateful. She _should be _grateful, he told himself over and over trying to rid himself of the ridiculous puffed up, knight in shining armor sensation her simple 'thank you' had given him. He knew better than anyone that he was no such thing nor did he have any inclination of being such.

He became aware of that dull throbbing sensation in the back of his head again as he told himself he was just doing this for the baby. Not for that bloody lunatic, but the baby and himself. He had no desire to go to Azkaban whatsoever.

"The vote shall begin," Shacklebolt announced as Draco reached up to rub the back of his head to ease the noise he could swear accompanied his headache.

"All those in favor of granting the motion to stop orders please indicate so."

The throbbing sound was getting louder, like a buzzing in his ears and Draco had to wonder if perhaps it was not just a headache but the pounding of his own heart he was hearing as he counted the hands that were raised.

He felt a sinking sensation in his chest when he finished counting. Of the hands there, less than half had raised.

"All those who deny the motion set forth please indicate so."

More hands shot into the air than before and the throbbing sound in his head set to new heights. Dimly, he became aware the sound was not in conjunction with his own headache or even his heartbeat. It was a soft lub-lub sound he had heard only the day before and it was getting faster as his fear rose.

"So it is done. The motion to stop the Ministry ordered test has been denied,' Shacklebolt announced. "You may be dismissed."

He heard a gasp from behind him and he knew it was Luna. The pounding in his head would not stop and he felt a crippling amount of fear not only for himself, but for his child as well. How could he let this happen? There was only one answer to that question.

He couldn't.

Since his birth Draco had always heard the comments from everyone. _You look so much like your father! You're the spitting image of Lucius! Look at his chin. He's got Lucius's chin! _He favored his father physically.

But it was Narcissa's protective instincts to do whatever it took to protect her family, ingrained in Draco's very soul that had him turn and whisper fiercely to his defense wizard Yarborough.

Yarborough stared at him and shook his head, his jowels dropping open at Draco's words. "No. That's not a wise decision Draco."

"Just do it!" Draco hissed.

"I'd advise against it."

"I said do it Yarborough." 

Yarborough stared at him for a minute before shaking his head and standing to his feet. "Minister!" he called out to get Kingsley Shacklebolt's attention. The minister had been gathering up his documents from the podium.

"Yes?" Shacklebolt asked, giving his attention to Yarborough.

Draco's representative looked ill at ease as he said, "Against my counsel, my client has asked to enter a plea of _Nolo contendere_ to the charges against him." He walked towards the Minister's podium and said, "All the charges against him if the court will dismiss the test on Miss Lovegood."

"No!"

Draco heard his mother's protest behind him. He didn't turn around to look at his parents on his decision. His ice grey eyes were centered on Kinglsey Shacklebolt awaiting an decision to his plea offer.

**-HP-**

**Kat's note: Hope everyone had a good week! I'm sorry it took so long to update. I have re-written this scene a thousand different times this past week. Then I spent this weekend with the wonderful help of my best friend getting my pool cleaned out. Halloween will be on us soon - my favorite holiday! What will you be dressing up as? Check out my newest one shot story for Luna called "The Nargles That Stole Christmas!" As always reviews are much appreciated!**


	16. Chapter 16

_What You Are Is What You Are, Even If Your Memory's Scarred_

_The Burrow_

"What happened?"

"Did they stop the test?"

Ginny and Hermoine set in on Luna immediately upon her return to the Burrow. She had flooed back in from the Ministry, still in a slight state of shock over the event that had occurred. She had barely stepped out of the fireplace when the questions bombarded her.

"There will be no test," she informed the two girls. Reactions were mixed as Hermoine said, "Well that's good news for you Luna." It was followed by Ginny who said, "The bastard Draco is going to get off though."

"No," Luna shook her head at Ginny and said, "He isn't." They both looked at her questioningly and she said, "Draco pleaded Nolo Contendere."

"Are you serious?" Hermoine's eyebrows shot up nearly to her hairline.

"What's that?" Ginny asked.

"It means no contest Ginny," Hermoine informed her. Luna let out a heavy sigh and moved to sit down at the kitchen table. The other two joined her as Hermoine explained, "It means he's not admitting guilt to the charges but he's not denying them either. It effectively cuts down on the punishment for the crime charged."

Draco Malfoy had bargained a plea of no contest. It had taken Luna by surprise nearly as much as his parents judging by their reactions in the court. Narcissa Malfoy had been expressly vocal in her disapproval of her son's plea.

_"Draco Malfoy don't you dare say another word! Minister strike that plea! My son is innocent!"_

_"Mum, shut it! This isn't about me!"_

"Well that proves it then doesn't it?" Ginny questioned, folding her arms on the table and leaning over them. "He's as much as admitted it with that."

"No."

Ginny and Hermoine both swung their heads towards Luna who had spoken that one word denial.

"The ministry decided to force the test," Luna told them. "Draco made the plea after they voted for the amniocentesis to continue." 

Hermoine stared at her and Ginny had a look of righteous anger about her as the redhead said, "There you see? That settles it. He knew the test would prove he was the father and that's why he did it."

"I don't think so Ginny," Luna told her. Her fingers tapped on the wooden surface of the Weasley kitchen table as she began to puzzle things out.

Hermoine was also good at figuring things out and she informed Ginny, "His defense wizard could have submitted appeals on the motion to do the test in later weeks. The risks are still there but not as great if she did it now."

"Exactly," Luna nodded at Hermoine, appreciating her logic for facts and data at this moment.

"So that begs the question," Hermoine looked between Luna and Ginny before asking, "Why would Draco Malfoy plead no contest when he a chance of getting the charges dropped by this test?"

"It doesn't make sense," Luna agreed and then said, "Unless he was worried about what the test could do to the baby like I am."

Ginny scoffed at the idea. Hermoine's lips pursed as she tried to reconcile the world's image of Draco Malfoy, a cold hearted bastard with no love lost for the common person, with Luna's statement.

"Shacklebolt accepted his plea," Luna told them. "He's being held at the Ministry again and they are set to do the sentencing on Monday." She continued to drum her fingertips on the table and murmured, "It's not enough time."

"Time for what?" Ginny asked.

Luna would never forget his face. Her gaze flew up to the ceiling as she pondered the look of scared determination she had seen on his face the moment his plea had been made. She felt certain that his plea combined with his motion to stop the test meant he cared about the child like she did. If she was wrong, she was going to regret her next decision and she didn't like regretting anything.

"To remember what happened." She felt a chill go through her even as she said the words. She had played the coward for a month now, not able to remember what happened. She hadn't made any attempts to remember on her own which made it even worse. Her nightmare the other day had scared her badly and if it had been a memory instead of a dream, she knew she wasn't going to want to face what was to come. But face it, she must.

She never broke promises, but Luna knew she was going to need Hermoine and Ginny's help. Mrs. Malfoy would just have to accept that her friends needed to know the full story, even if the world at large didn't, and the Malfoy image would just have to suffer. Hermoine and Ginny were not likely to tell anyone anyways. Mrs. Weasley was out getting groceries which meant now was the time to talk.

So she told them everything Mrs. Malfoy had shared with her about Draco being a victim of his aunt's madness as much as she had been. Luna also shared the details of her nightmare which seemed to corroborate with the story told by Narcissa. She finished by asking, "I need your help trying to remember what happened." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she said, "I need to remember." She couldn't be a coward any longer. If Draco was a victim as much as she had been, he didn't belong in Azkaban. She rubbed her arms which had grown cold as she told the story.

Ginny's hand was pressed to her open mouth, having been shocked by the story. Hermoine was less dramatic in her physical shock but no less mentally surprised than Ginny had been with her brows drawn together. Luna's grey eyes drilled into two pairs of brown ones as she requested, "Will you help me?"

Hermoine was the first to recover as she said, "Of course we will." She reached out to take hold of Luna's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "We'll do whatever we can. Although two days is really a very short amount of time."

"Two and a half if you count this afternoon," Ginny reminded before taking Luna's other hand. The three girls looked at each other and Ginny said, "Hermoine you're the genius. Any ideas on this one?"

**-HP-**

**Up next: Luna's got to try her hardest to remember the night she spelled herself to forget! The girls take on the challenge to spark her memories. Will it work?**


	17. Chapter 17

_I Was Alright For A While, I Could Smile For A While_

_The Burrow_

The girls had spent most of the afternoon and late into the evening discussing ideas and plans for forcing Luna's memory to come back to her. Hermoine had headed straight for her library of books, researching charms and potions. Ginny, never much of a book worm, had settled for good old fashioned scare tactics.

"Ginny will you kindly stop shaking her about?" Hermoine had called out at one point, not even looking up from her book when Ginny had jumped at Luna, grabbed her from behind around the waist and was attempting to pick her up. She had succeeded in three quick lifts about two inches off the ground before nearly dropping the blonde.

It was the fifth of as many attempts such as the first when Luna had gone to the loo and Ginny had been laying in wait behind the door for her. Thankfully she had just used the bathroom or else the redhead might have caused another accident when Ginny had let out a blood curdling scream and grabbed Luna by the shoulders.

There was also the third attempt, a neck grab when Luna had been sitting at the table looking over a charms book as Hermoine had been deep into a potions book. Ginny had walked behind her and then reached out her hands to circle Luna's neck. The action had caused Luna to shriek as well, but only because Ginny's hands had been shockingly cold when she had attempted to scare her then.

The current action of being picked up, done as Luna was returning from the kitchen, jostled her about into agreeing with Hermoine. "Please put me down or I'm going to throw up on you!" she pleaded with Ginny.

"Gads you're heavy Luna!" Ginny let her down with a thump, huffing and puffing, her cheeks red from her exertions.

"Nobody told you to pick her up and toss her around," Hermoine's voice reprimanded from the dining table. Ginny stuck her tongue out at Hermoine behind her back and commented, "At least I'm actively trying something instead of sticking my nose in a book."

Hermoine had looked up at that point and informed Ginny with a sniff, "This is the way I work Ginny, just ask Harry or Ron."

"And Ginny is a lady of action," Luna said taking her seat across from Hermoine and cracking open a book titled _Medical Charms and Potions_. She had already looked through it once but a second check wouldn't hurt. "She always has been even when she planned the graffiti last year to stick it to the Carrow's."

Ginny flashed Luna a grin at the reminder of their rebellious actions together. She slid into the chair next to Hermoine and reached out to take a book from the stack saying, "I just think if there was a charm or potion in these books, the healers at St. Mungo's would have already done it to Luna." 

"Just keep looking," Hermoine told them both. "I want to exhaust all possibilities before we -" she cut herself off suddenly and then shook her head her wavy brown hair flying around her shoulders. "Well let's just try this first," she insisted.

Luna lowered the book she had been looking through to watch Hermoine who hid behind a large tome of spells. She had to wonder what the cleverest witch that Gryffindor had ever spit out, was thinking at that precise moment. Hermoine obviously had something in mind that she wasn't willing to share yet.

Luna glanced at Ginny, who returned the look at the same time. Ginny's brown eyes reflected the same curiosity that was surely upon Luna's own face. Ginny shrugged her shoulders at Luna who mirrored the redhead's gesture. Luna lifted her book again, thumbing through the contents. She knew that Hermoine would share her thoughts when she was ready to do so.

**-HP-**

Later that evening, close to bedtime, the girls reconvened in Ginny's room briefly. Hermoine was sleeping in Bill and Charlie's old room by herself although Luna had offered to move her things in there. Hermoine insisted the sleeping arrangements were just fine.

Ginny was sitting cross legged on her bed, brushing her hair while Luna was stretched out on back on the floor, her long hair fanned out beneath her. Hermoine was laying on her stomach on the guest bed, hanging her head off the side so she could see Luna on the floor and Ginny across from her.

"So the _Memini_ spell didn't work," Hermoine was reviewing what they had already tried. "The Reminisce Potion was a disaster."

"Actually I kind of enjoyed that," Luna's smile turned dreamy as her eyes fixated on the ceiling. "I had forgotten my Mum singing me that song to cheer me up whenever I got a scrape or a bruise." The object of the potion had been to recover a painful memory, but it had recalled a memory of Luna being stitched up and comforted by her mother after she had fallen off the bars at the playground when she was seven.

Luna hummed the tune and then started to sing the lyrics, a merry Irish tune, as the memory that had been 'reminisced' upon by the potion came back to her mind.

_"I'll tell me ma, when I go home,_

_The boys won't leave the girls alone._

_They pull my hair, they stole my comb,_

_And that's alright till I go home._

_She is handsome, she is pretty,_

_She's the belle of Belfast city,_

_She is courtin', one, two, three,_

_Please won't you tell me who is she?"***_

"Considering it failed to bring the memory we wanted back, I'd still say it was not a success," said Hermoine swatted at Luna who gave Hermoine a simple shrug in response. Hermoine mused, "Hypnosis didn't work either but that was a long shot anyways with the way your mind works Luna."

"My mind works just fine as long as there are no Wrackspurts around," Luna objected and then followed it up by saying, "The pendulum swinging back and forth made me think of dancing instead of making me sleepy like you kept saying." She drew a lazy finger back and forth into the air and drawled, "You're getting sleeeeeeepy," imitating Hermoine from earlier.

Ginny laid her brush next to her on the bed and tucked her fists under her chin, leaning forward and asked, "What do we propose to do now?"

Luna tilted her head to look up at Ginny and said, "You can stand over me again if I have another nightmare. I think I owe you some back for all those surprises you laid on me today." She punched the air twice above her mockingly.

"No," Ginny snorted at Luna, a smirk on her lips.

"That's it!" Hermoine snapped her fingers and pointed down at Luna.

"What?" Luna turned her head, her brows drawing together confused at Hermoine's statement.

"You need to have another nightmare."

"I'm not getting sucker punched again!" Ginny declared heatedly to Hermoine.

Hermoine rolled her eyes and sat up into a kneeling position. "Let me finish," she told the two girls. She looked down at Luna and said, "You need to have your nightmare again, but this time you need to be awake while you're doing it."

Luna sat up and faced Hermoine, her back leaning against the side of Ginny's bed. "I know I've been accused of daydreaming alot, but those are usually nice dreams," she told Hermoine. "I don't think I've ever had a nightmare in the daytime."

"Well you won't be asleep this time." Hermoine's eyes were shining with an idea and Luna could almost see the Wrackspurts fleeing in the face of her friend's brilliance. She wished she had a pair of Spectrespecs with her to fully view their departure. She focused back in on what Hermoine was saying as she said, "We're going to recreate your nightmare Luna."

Luna felt her heart stutter in her chest at Hermoine's words. "What?" She became aware of her hair being lifted away from her neck and tilted her head back to see Ginny had her brush in hand and was tackling Luna's tangled mass of blonde hair. She returned her eyes forward to regard the older Gryffindor.

"I think your nightmare is key to your memory," Hermoine told her. "We're going to recreate your dream tomorrow morning. I've got to look into my transfiguration books tonight to make it work. I'll bring one to each of you to study as well. Tomorrow we'll go over to Grimmauld Place for some privacy and we're going to make your nightmare a reality."

Luna's lips pursed as she thought about that. Her heartbeat sped up and even Ginny's gentle brushstrokes through her hair was doing nothing to calm to the sudden jump to her nerves.

"Why don't we just go to Malfoy Manor and try to see the room where it happened?" Ginny asked as she plucked the brush through a tangle with gentleness that was not yielding results.

Hermoine gave Ginny the 'are you stupid' look. "I wouldn't trust Mrs. Malfoy not to tamper with Luna's memory would you?"

"Of course not," Ginny yanked through the snarl forcing a wince from Luna when it jerked her head back. She shot Hermoine a wide grin and said, "I was thinking about a simple tresspassing while they were out."

"We are not breaking and entering," Hermoine told Ginny. She slipped off the bed and said, "I'm going to go get those books on transfiguration. All three of us will need to be at our best tomorrow to perform these spells. I suggest you two get to sleep early so that you're well rested."

As Hermoine slipped out of the room Luna turned to Ginny asking, "Is she always like this?"

Ginny looked down at her. "If you ask Ron, then yes."

"Oh, lovely." 

Ginny gently popped Luna on the head with the brush causing her to yelp. "Ouch! I mean it in a good way! She's very determined about all of this. It's nice to have her take charge." 

"She is good at that," Ginny agreed and then let Luna's hair go, emptying the brush of the red and gold mixed strands that mixed between the bristles.

"Is it going to be good enough to get my memory back?" Luna mused out loud as she shook her hair around her shoulders, letting it fall where it liked.

"I hope so," Ginny said. There were footsteps on the steps, descending from the sound of it, so they knew Hermoine was on her way back.

**-HP-**

Saturday late morning found Ginny staring back and forth between Hermoine and the brownstone brick building in front of them. "You really want to do this here?" she questioned.

"We need privacy," Hermoine informed Ginny.

Luna looked up at the tall building and said, "This looks very nice. The neighborhood seems very friendly."

Hermoine and Ginny glanced at Luna swiftly, not sure if she was joking or not because her voice had never changed its dreamy tempo. The grimy houses with busted windows, the trash piled on doorsteps not yet carried away, along with the sparse square of grass in front of Number 12 Grimmauld Place could hardly be called nice or friendly.

Luna still held the note with the address that had been given to her by Hermoine. She had been informed that the house was unplottable and also enchanted with the Secret-Keeper charm and now she would become a Secret Keeper as well. As the door to Number 12 appeared, she followed Hermoine up the worn steps to the door with its fading paint. Hermoine pulled out her wand and tapped the door which opened.

Just inside the door, the gas lamps sprang to life with their entry. Luna found herself staring down a long hallway with a pair of long curtains drawn closed and a hollowed out troll leg at the other end of the hall. Before she could comment on the interior a voice she hadn't heard since her third year at Hogwarts thundered out.

_"Severus Snape?"_

"No!" Hermoine responded back calmly right before Luna felt a cold chill and she was affected by a tongue tying curse. As her tongue tried to go backwards down her throat, she gagged, nearly throwing up until the curse lifted and her tongue righted itself forward again.

When she could speak again she glanced at Ginny and Hermoine asking, "Was that Professor Moody?"

"Yes," Hermoine explained to her about the curses that had been set up by their former professor and Auror. Luna had a bit of warning when Dumbledore's dust figure rose up from the end of the hallway and attacked them. Hermoine spoke the curse breaking phrase that caused the figure to burst into a cloud of dust.

As they walked down the hallway, Luna commented, "It's all very sad isn't it? Professor Moody may never know that Professor Dumbledore asked Professor Snape to end his life." She looked at the dark walls and said, "It was an extremely difficult burden Dumbledore gave him."

"Shhh," Hermoine put her finger to her lips shushing Luna. "Be quiet," she whispered. "We don't want to wake Mrs. Black. She's the one thing I wish Mundungus could have stolen away!"

Ginny laughed at Hermoine's comment earning another "Shhhh!"

"What's so funny about kidnapping a person?" Luna whispered to Ginny and then asked, "Didn't you say the house was empty?"

They passed by the set of long curtains on the wall. Luna noticed that Hermoine and Ginny began to tiptoe, hugging the wall opposite of the closed curtains, watching the closed drapes carefully. She wasn't as careful and a floorboard squeaked under her foot.

The curtains flew open causing Luna to shriek and so did the gray-haired witch behind the curtains. "_FILTH! THE MUDBLOOD IS BACK! AND THE BLOOD TRAITOR! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! COME TO STEAL HAVE YOU? VERMIN_!"

Ginny rushed forward and snatched the curtains closed yelling back, "_BE QUIET YOU OLD HAG!_"

Luna's mouth was slightly agape at what had just happened. "That is Mrs. Black," Hermoine told her. "Or her portrait. She's very annoying and we have tried our hardest to remove the spell that keeps her picture stuck to the wall, but it has been very impossible to get rid of her."

From behind the curtain the witch was still screeching insults and the girls quickly left her behind heading for the staircase at the end of the hall. Luna had barely gotten to glance at the ground floor, she had spotted one door that was closed off and a narrow set of stairs heading downward. The trio of girls headed upstairs until they reached the third floor.

They found their way into a bedroom that had one window covered in shabby, dark curtains that let very little light in. The entire house was overwhelmingly dark and oppressive as if the previous owners had feared anything bright and cheerful. The shrunken elf heads that had lined the walls of the staircase had given Luna a grim reminder of how different the lives of the folk who prided their pureblood status could be from those who valued otherwise.

"We cleaned up alot," Hermoine was telling her as she shifted some books about on the desk of the room they currently were standing in. "But it still looks quite wretched doesn't it?" She glanced around at the threadworn carpet on the floor and the worn furniture which had a fine layer of dust settled on it from lack of attention.

"Where's Kreacher? We don't need him hanging about," Ginny said glancing out towards the hall.

Hermoine waved a hand. "I'll take care of him." She pulled her wand out of her back pocket and then instructed, "I'm going to leave you two in charge of transfiguring this room." She turned towards Luna and walked towards her saying, "You're going to have to describe your nightmare in as much detail as you can so that you and Ginny can get the room just right."

Luna nodded her head wondering if the lurch of fear she felt in the pit of her stomach had somehow made its way onto her face. It must not have though because Hermoine left them alone as Ginny and Luna both pulled out their wands.

Luna found herself fingering the small hare carving on the end of her wand. She wished she could bring up happy memories, like the song her Mum had sang, instead of having to recall the nightmare which took her breath away every time she thought of it.

No. She had to face it. She took a deep breath trying to steady her heartbeat which had sped up the moment Hermoine had asked her to transfigure the room. This had to be done. "This room is too small," she told Ginny, lifting a hand and gesturing to the narrow width of the room. "The walls need to move at least five feet out in both directions."

Ginny nodded her head. Together they lifted their wands and concentrated, pointing at each wall separately. "_Engorgio!"_

Their voices sounded out one after the other and the walls began to move back, the ceiling lifting higher as the room began to englarge. Once it seemed the appropriate size by Luna's recollection they lowered their wands.

They spent the better part of the next hour, including Hermoine's help once she returned to change the furniture of the room, to change the walls to look as if it had silky silvery-green wallpaper upon it, and to make the shabby curtains into a dark hunter green color with silver tassels hanging from a draped valance.

Each time they managed to perfect each detail, Luna felt her fear mounting in her chest. At one point she lowered her wand, her breathing coming in shallow gasps as she stared at the four poster, dark wood bed with the hunter green satin duvet. Ginny had managed to capture the striped light and dark green damask print from her nightmare perfectly. The sight of which instilled a need to run away inside her. She couldn't stay in this room! She couldn't! The panic overwhelmed her almost instantly and Luna's wand dropped from her hand in her mad dash to escape.

Out in the hall, the dreary, chipped, cracking paint of the rundown home seemed a more welcome sight than the interior of that room they had just transfigured with its modern furnishings and beautiful moldings. Luna slid down the wall, her nerves badly upset and her body shaking with trembles. Hermoine and Ginny ran out after her, "Luna!"

She clapped a hand to her mouth to prevent a sob from breaking out, tears forming in her eyes for no apparent purpose. Ginny slid down the wall next to her, her brown eyes bright with unshed tears as she watched Luna's violent shuddering. Hermoine knelt down in front of both of them, a pitying look upon her face as she asked, "Can you do this Luna?"

Ginny's voice was thick with worry as she said, "We must be on the right track Hermoine." Luna felt Ginny's arm come across her shoulders and she leaned against the redhead, ducking her head but unable to hide the tears which were trailing down her cheeks.

Hermoine nodded in agreement with Ginny's comment. She put a hand on Luna's knee and gently asked again, "Luna? Do you think you can do this or should we stop?"

Luna moved her hand from her mouth, her fingers shaking as she tried to wipe away the tears from her cheeks. She inhaled a shuddering breath accompanied by a sniffling noise from her nose as she tried to speak. "I have to." Her voice was shaky to her own ears.

"No," Ginny was rubbing her back and shoulders trying to soothe her down. "Luna don't force yourself." Her voice was quiet and gentle, reminding Luna of Mrs. Weasley for just a moment.

Hermoine glanced at Ginny and then back to Luna saying, "It's your decision Luna." Her brown eyes still had that pitying concern shining inside of them.

Luna sniffed again even as she tried to compose herself. She lifted the hem of her shirt and wiped her face, rubbing her nose on her sleeve. She rested her head on Ginny's shoulder until the tremors that robbed her of her ability to stand up straight, slowed and halted. She took several deep breaths before saying, "I need to do this. We continue." To her own ears she sounded certain, but her gut was clenching with uncertainty.

"Stay here a few moments, calm yourself," Hermoine said. "Ginny when she's ready take her back into the room." She stood up from her position, joints snapping in protest at how she'd been balancing before the two of them on the balls of her feet. "I've got to use the loo."

Hermoine disappeared down the stairs to the second floor. Luna lifted her eyes to the ceiling trying to think of something happy to replace her anxiety about what lay behind the door. She lowered her eyes to see the rounded bump beneath her shirt. She lifted her shirt hem again this time to lay her hand across her stomach.

"Do you feel her move yet?" Ginny asked her. Luna shook her head. "It's too early yet," she told her friend. Realizing Ginny had assigned a gender to the question she reminded, "I don't know if it's a girl or boy yet either Ginny."

"Of course it's a girl," Ginny said confidently. "Can I?" She asked the question while reaching out her free hand to hover just above Luna's stomach. Luna nodded and Ginny put her palm to the small bump. "She's going to be a bright little witch just like you Luna."

The comment had been designed to put a smile on her face and Luna found herself beaming at Ginny and asking, "Do you really think so?" She felt a blossoming hope replacing her fear at the thought of a girl with blonde, wavy hair and keen, intelligent eyes.

"Of course," Ginny smiled and drew her hand away. "You, Luna, who believes in the most wonderful things and the best in all people, you should believe that."

Luna lifted her head off of Ginny's shoulder feeling a thousand times better by the cheerful thoughts her best friend was supplying to her. She took a deep breath, trying to steel her nerves and backbone for what must come. Pinning the thought of a potentially wonderful daughter (or son) foremost in her mind, she told Ginny, "I'm ready to try again."

Ginny helped her stand to her feet. Luna let go of Ginny's hand, wanting to cling to the redhead for support, but she knew she must face this head on. Ginny opened the door and crossed into the room. Luna hesitated at the threshhold, trying to keep the panic at bay this time.

It looked exactly like the room in her nightmare. She took five steps inward, a cold chill moving down her spine as Luna took in the room. Besides the bed, there was an old fashioned writing desk with a rolldown cover the sat near the draped windows. There was a dark wardrobe next to the desk, the furniture having neatly matched in color.

Her breath started to hitch again as she looked at the bed. Luna briefly thought about asking Ginny to perform a leg-lock curse to keep her from running, but that funny thought distracted her enough to keep from dashing out again.

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked her, coming to stand right beside her. Luna shook her head. "I don't know," she lifted a hand gesturing as she said, "This is all so familiar and so terrifying." Tears sprang up to her eyes again.

"Do you want to leave?" Ginny asked.

"She can't leave," Hermoine's voice said from behind them. "Not yet."

Luna and Ginny turned at once towards the doorway.

She didn't need a leg lock curse anymore. Luna's legs froze in place all on their own. Standing in the doorway was the face from her nightmare, a face that should have been dead and buried with Molly Weasley's final battle curse. Tall, regal and arrogant in bearing even with her gaunt face, Bellatrix LeStrange, a face she had never expected to see again, stood in the doorway.

Her breath had been stolen one too many times recently from her. Luna thought this even as she forgot to breathe again. She heard a wicked laughter in the back of her mind, a shrill voice taunting her even though the woman in front of her never said a word.

_"Do it...Do as I tell you!" _

_"Hurts doesn't it little blood traitor? Oh no! I'm not done with you yet! Tell me where Harry Potter and his friends are and I might be kind enough to end it for you!"_

_"No one will hear you scream! Silencio!"_

Dark fear welled up along with the memory of this woman's constant torture and threats. Underlying it all was an emotion Luna had never felt in her entire life. She couldn't easily identify it having never experienced it before.

_The feeling of his arms imprisoned her, circling her waist and picking her up like she weighed nothing._

Luna whirled in place, her arm swinging out and connecting to nothing. She turned back to see Bellatrix stepping into the room. She wanted to scream but her voice wouldn't cooperate. She wanted to scream so badly but the Silencing charm wouldn't allow her to speak, she couldn't utter a noise, anything to summon help.

Had her mind not been lost under a threatening tidal wave of memories surging, she might have realized that she was not under any spell at the moment. Her lack of speech was because she couldn't breathe and the longer she went without breathing, the more the hazy blackness at the edge of her vision menaced her.

_She heard the laughter echoing again even as her eyes locked onto the silver tassels of the valance. She wanted to cover her eyes even as he moved over her, her hands pinned by his strength. The last thing she saw before she closed her eyes to darkness was the shining threads that glittered in the dark room like the moon, mocking her with their brightness._

Luna's eyes locked on the silver tassels that hung above the drapes. The moment she looked upon them, it hit her all at once. She fell forward in shock to her knees and barely saved herself from impacting on the wood by throwing her arms out. She heard a snapping sound and a shock ran up her left arm.

"Luna!"

She heard Ginny's voice as if she were calling her from a far off tunnel and the hazy black impeded her vision again. She wasn't even aware of what was real or not as the memories of that night washed in with the vision before her. The blackness seemed more welcoming and less frightening than what she was experiencing and she let it take her over.

**-HP-**

Kat's Note: ***The Irish song lyrics posted is a popular children's tune in Ireland called "Tell me Ma". It's a merry tune and you can find a full version of the song on websites where you can obtain music videos. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and I really hope everyone is enjoying this story (even those who have read but not reviewed) as much as I am writing it!


	18. Chapter 18

_You're Enchained By Your Own Sorrow, In Your Eyes There Is No Hope For Tomorrow_

_Number 12 Grimmauld Place_

"Should we take her to the hospital? I heard something crack I tell you!"

"She's fainted Ginny. I don't think we should take her to St. Mungo's just because of that."

"Well who made her faint? What were you _thinking_ Hermoine scaring her like that? You could have given us warning on what you were planning to do."

"That was the point of course, to shock her. If I had told you what I was going to do, we wouldn't have seen this reaction would we?"

Luna's consciousness first became aware of her two friends talking somewhere above and around her head. She found herself wondering why Ginny sounded like Mrs. Weasley scolding a child for misbehaving.

"Well you scared me too. I thought I was seeing a ghost at first." There was a light pressure of something dipping near Luna, like she was laying on a bed and someone had just sat next to her. She felt fingers touching her face and Ginny saying, "I wish she would wake up."

There was another dip to her left. Luna could definitely feel the mattress underneath her and she knew Hermoine had sat down as well. "Give her time Ginny. Give her time."

What were they talking about? Luna's brain began to sort through the puzzle pieces of the day, categorizing each detail. She remembered waking up, she knew she had brushed her teeth, gone downstairs in the Burrow where the smell of pickled kippers had sent her straight back to the loo to throw up. That was followed by another round of teeth brushing, some dry toast for breakfast in the kitchen away from the kippers, a shower, and then they had left the Burrow, apparating to London.

London. The small note with an address_ 12 Grimmauld Place. _The troll leg. The witch screaming behind the curtains. Upstairs. A room that had been small and narrow transfigured into something much larger and sinister. And then _she_ had appeared in the doorway.

Luna's grey eyes snapped open.

"You're awake!"

Luna barely registered Ginny's relieved exclamation. Her eyes were scanning the room for the face which had haunted her nightmares. She took in the dark furniture, her eyes skipping over the dark green drapes and circling the room. Her gaze finally landed on Hermoine who was seated next to her.

"Are you okay Luna?" Hermoine's voice was soft with concern and worry.

Luna didn't answer, her eyes scanning the room again. Her eyes landed on the wardrobe next to the writing desk. Bellatrix could have hidden in there. She had to check to be sure. Luna attempted to sit up in the bed, pushing herself to sitting up.

She let out a small cry as a sharp sensation of pain went through her left arm. Ginny and Hermoine stood up, Hermoine reaching out to take her left hand while Ginny asked, "What's wrong?"

"I think you were right about the sound you heard," Hermoine told Ginny. She asked, "Luna can you wiggle your fingers?"

"Where is she hiding?" Luna asked even as she did as Hermoine requested, wiggling her fingers. Able to do that small task, Hermoine then asked for her to rotate her hand. She failed to do so.

"Where is who hiding?" Ginny asked.

"Bellatrix LeStrange." Luna felt herself grow cold just saying the name.

"That wasn't Bellatrix," Ginny said even as Hermoine attempted to turn Luna's wrist for her earning another cry of pain.

Luna felt the shock go up her arm again as Hermoine said, "I'm pretty sure it's either broke or fractured. We need to get you home to get the medical books out and fix it."

"I don't understand," Luna's whisper was directed towards Ginny, her brain unable to comprehend how Bellatrix had been there one moment and gone the next.

"When you fell," Hermoine gently explained. "You fell forward hard but you stopped your fall with your hands. Ginny says she heard a cracking sound and I think you may have broken your wrist."

Luna glanced at Hermoine and then shook her head. "No, where is Bellatrix? I saw her in the doorway." Her voice cracked a little as she asked, "Where did she go?"

"That was me Luna." Hermoine attempted to help her up into a sitting position, placing a hand at her back. "I had a portion of polyjuice potion left from where I became Bellatrix before to break into Gringott's and used it to become her again for this." Once Luna was propped up against the pillows, she drew back to regard the blonde witch.

Luna looked at Hermoine and felt the same burning sensation that had sliced through her when she had seen Bellatrix standing there. The feeling had scared her then and it scared her now, especially as it was directed at Hermoine. Hermoine was a friend. There was no reason for Luna to suddenly wish the worst upon her.

She didn't speak for a moment, trying to banish her thoughts of the horrible feelings that had just suddenly snuck upon her.

Ginny interrupted her sudden moodiness by asking, "Did it work Luna? Do you remember anything?"

Luna swung her bright eyes towards her friend and thought over the question. Once she had pieced through everything again, her familiar trademark dream expression the only sign to those who knew her well that she was thinking very hard, she turned to Ginny and said, "Yes." She looked around the room, her eyes starting to tear up again and she admitted, "I remember everything."

**-HP-**

There had been questions, many questions from Hermoine and Ginny that Luna had been unable to answer immediately. If it wasn't tears, then it was the irrational thoughts that she could stupefy them both to leave her alone, that distracted her from herself and the new feelings that overwhelmed her every second.

When the questions had finally stopped, Ginny and Hermoine had looked worried that Luna seemed more withdrawn into herself. She wanted to tell them not to worry, that it was for their own good she didn't begin to speak as she was prone to say her thoughts exactly as they occurred to her. She was terrified of this new feeling and didn't know how to deal with it along with all the other emotions she was going through.

Mrs. Weasley had scolded all three of them when they had apparated back to the Burrow, Luna's arm fashioned in a sling made of a blanket. While she did not know what had occurred between the three girls, she must have suspected something was wrong. It didn't help that while Luna's wrist was being fixed, Ginny and Hermoine hovered over her like mother hens with an orphaned chick. It also didn't help that Luna kept leaking tears at strange moments and her one-worded responses only to yes-or-no type questions were strained and terse. Any other questions earned the asker long, empty stares.

She had left them downstairs so that she could get an afternoon nap in, but sleep eluded her. Luna turned the memories over in her head, feeling crushed beneath their weight, crippling her physically and emotionally.

She understood now why she had stolen Fleur's wand at the cottage to charm herself into forgetting. When Ron and Harry had shown up in the basement with Dean and Griphook, she had been numb to her own emotions and physical pain. Helping the four of them escape their bindings had been a much needed distraction as had Dobby's rescue and the tiny funeral that followed. It was only later, when time had slowed down and there was nothing left to distract her, that the shock had worn off and the shakes had set in.

_-Flashback-_

It had been quiet in the cottage. Dean was taking his shower while Bill was contacting his family members to get them to safety. Fleur was getting Mr. Ollivander settled in with blankets and homecooked soup, and Harry, Bill and Hermoine had sequestered themselves in Griphook's room. Luna had gone down to the kitchen to wait for someone to join her while having a bowl of soup of her own.

She found it difficult to eat. Her hand refused to cooperate with the spoon, shaking so badly she tried to hold right hand steady with her left hand. She gave up after ten tries and curled her arms around herself, shivering and cold even though she was in the kitchen which had been quite warm and cozy.

Alone by herself, the thoughts and memories collected in her conscious were the ones that kept her company and were slowly breaking her down.

_"No one will hear you scream! Silencio!"_

_Bellatrix had dragged her from the basement by her hair. Mr. Ollivander was unconscious, victimized by the Cruciatus curse that Bellatrix had tortured him with moments earlier. Bellatrix had made Luna watch her play with him before turning her wand upon the blonde._

_She had cast a silencing charm on her before draggin her out, which Luna had found odd. Bellatrix liked to hear their screams, their cries of pain and the whimpers of fear. She had felt her heart skip a beat, wondering if this was it, the promised Killing curse from the Death Eater who had promised as much the past three months._

_But she couldn't have known what had lay in store for her. The large empty corridors that echoed the sound of Bellatrix's footsteps and Luna's harsh breathing were dark and oppressive. There had suddenly been a door in front of her that Bellatrix opened and pushed her through to the other side. _

_He had been waiting there, swaying slightly in place as he stood there, staring off into space. Luna had a vague idea at that moment why Bellatrix had shoved her in the room, hurling her down to the ground. She had heard their whispering the day before. She knew what the female Death Eater had told him to do, but she had also heard his distinctly sneering voice and the disgusted tones at the plan his aunt had set forth. Had he changed his mind?_

_She sprang up off the floor, turning to fight for her escape, shoving at Bellatrix. The other woman was formidable, swinging her hand in an arch and clouting Luna on her mouth. There was a sharp sting associated with the slug; Bellatrix's rings on her hand having split the skin at her lip. The sting was accompanied by a trickle of blood._

_Luna reeled back, stunned momentarily. She was repelled back into the far wall near the curtains when Bellatrix used her wand and yelled, "Stupefy!"_

_The stunning spell was effective at temporarily paralyzing the body but not the mind. Luna watched in horror as Bellatrix approached her nephew and curled her hand under his chin to direct his gaze at her._

_"You won't ever call me mad again will you my sweet nephew?" she had simpered, the light in her eyes flashing for a moment._

_"No Auntie Bella."_

_There had been something off in his voice. Luna didn't know what it was until Bellatrix took his hand and turned him around to where she was slowly gaining back her ability to move. Her fingers and toes were twitching, her limbs already attempting to shrug off the Death eater's spell._

_When her gaze focused on the two of them, she now knew why Draco was staring off into space the way he had been. His eyes were glazed and tranced, heavy under the Imperius curse._

_"Good," Bellatrix trailed her hand along his shoulder and then laughed in the way Luna knew meant she was excited about the torture to come. "Now look at what I brought you Draco. I told you to play with the little blood traitor but you didn't seem to like my gift." Her voice had taken on petulant tones with an underscore of anger. She directed his gaze to Luna._

_Luna could open her mouth and she wanted to scream, to make any noise but the silencing spell kept her voice turned off._

_"Now perhaps you'll appreciate it when I offer you something," Bellatrix lifted her fingers, trailing them through Draco's hair like he was a doll; her doll. "Won't you?"_

_"Yes Auntie Bella."  
><em>

_The witch had leaned forward and whispered, "Then take my gift and make the blood traitor scream." She lifted her wand at her nephew and then said, "Do it Draco!"_

_Luna had regained her mobility and she scooted backwards, attempting to tuck herself into the space between the back wall and the writing desk but it was too small. He strode across the room where she was huddled against the wall, grabbing her arm and dragging her to her feet. She lifted her arm swinging at him, but he caught her fist before it could connect to his cold, impassive face, twisting her arm and causing her to cry out in pain only no sound passed her lips._

_She could hear the Death Eater laughing, the fear building in her chest, accompanied by an emotion she had never felt before. She would identify it later, but now it was that emotion that burned in her and caused her to bring her free hand up, raking her nails across his cheek. He didn't even react to her attack, blood welling up from the lines on his cheek. He did release her arm._

_She made a dash away from him but Bellatrix grabbed eher and struck her again on the eye this time blinding her vision temporarily with stars and floating wrackspurts in front of her._

_"Hold her down!" The Death Eater commanded thrusting her back at Draco who caught her from behind._

_The feeling of his arms imprisoned her, circling her waist and picking her up like she weighed nothing. She was thrown forward towards the post of the bed. She turned around to face him, clawing him again. His grey eyes betrayed no reaction, lost under a the white glaze of the curse._

_Laughter echoed from just behind him and she heard Bellatrix's voice whisper, "Do it...Do as I tell you!" There was a soft thump as she landed on the bed, having been picked up and hurled down upon it. He loomed over her-_

Luna heard a crunching sound in front of her and dimly became aware that she had cupped her hands around her bowl of soup for the warmth and somehow during reliving her memory she squeezed the bowl so hard, the china had broken by her frail strength.

She had looked around for something to clean up the mess with and her grey eyes had found Fleur's wand laid out by the dishes. She had taken the wand to fix the bowl and clean up the mess she had made. She remembered wishing it were that easy to fix herself, to fix the pain that had broken her and get rid of the mess of emotions that had stuck with her. Shame, humiliation, anguish were at the forefront with one other emotion that was burning even more than the others. That was the one she feared the most and wanted to forget the most.

It had stuck in her head then, the idea that she could fix herself as easily as she had fixed the broken soup bowl. To mend herself back together as she had previously been before Bellatrix had taken her out of the basement and crushed her.

She had snuck out to do it, not willing to chance anyone walking in on her. She had taken Fleur's wand and went to Dobby's grave to give the elf one final heartfelt thank you, telling him and the winds at the cottage, the things she had been unable to say during his funeral.

_-End Flashback-_

Luna's breath was harsh and ragged as she sorted through the memories, a fresh wave of shame and anguish overcoming her. Her chest was burning again like it had at the cottage, but this time she knew what lingered in her heart and she could give it a name.

_Hate_.

She often heard others use the word, hating somebody, something or some place. The word, something that represented such a vile thought, was used in commonplace conversation to describe a good amount of things.

_Oh I hate Arithmancy!_

_I hate those earrings she's got on!_

_I hate this wizard, he always sends in his stories late for printing and complains when he doesn't see them in the current issue._

So many liked to throw the word about in normal every day gripes and complaints, but true hatred flooded the soul, poisoning it. Luna had never in her entire life felt such an extreme aversion as to be hostile or consumed by it before.

She understood now.

Her mouth turned down as she tried to deal with the emotions that accompanied it; rage, anger, and a need for violence against those who had hurt her. She whimpered, pulling the covers tighter to her, the dark thought entering her head that she was glad Bellatrix LeStrange had died, along with the wish she could reanimate her just to kill her again also surfacing.

This had been what she feared most. Her brain understood what her heart could not. These overwhelming emotions led good witches and wizards into the darkness and left them there for the madness to prey upon their souls. They succumbed to the violence, the hatred and then they became Voldemort's soldiers. Death Eaters.

She turned in the bed and reached for her wand on the table. Drawing it close, Luna found herself debating to curse herself once more with the forgetting spell, wanting to forever erase the memories, the feelings she had remembered.

Luna took several deep breaths, her wand hovering near her temple for the longest moment before she gently released it, dropping it onto her pillow. Sitting up, she drew the covers up over her knees and buried her face in her hands, shaking once more.

**-HP-**

She could hear the voices as she descended the stairs and Luna knew they were talking about her once more. She didn't mind, having expected they would all still have questions and she was better prepared now to address them.

It was after sunset, dinner was over and her stomach was bound to remind her of the fact soon enough. She entered the kitchen and headed into the dining area where the family was sitting around the table talking. All heads, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Hermoine, Harry and Ginny looked up the moment she entered, conversation coming to a halt.

Luna's large eyes were puffy and red from her crying session, her cheeks stained with tracks of tears and her nose raw from the many tissues she had used up. Which reminded her..

"Ginny I owe you a box of tissues," her voice sounded strange to her own ears as she spoke to her best friend.

Ginny shook her head, her red hair flying as she said, "Don't worry about that Luna." She jumped out of her chair and went over to Luna to lead her to an empty chair asking, "Are you okay?"

"No," Luna looked at Ginny first and then turned her gaze on each and every person there stating, "And I don't know when I will be." She didn't sit down in the seat offered, using the back of the chair to hold on to.

"Are you hungry?" Mrs. Weasley asked, starting to get up. "I have a plate left in the oven for you."

Luna nodded her head, her stomach agreeing with her assessment. She gave the older woman a brief smile and said, "Thank you." Her attention turned back to the table landing on Harry and Ron who looked unsure what to say.

That was good. Because she had something to say to them.

"Harry, Ron," she addressed each in turn and requested, "I need you to contact Kingsley Shacklebolt and arrange a meeting at his office tomorrow please." She lowered her voice saying, "I know it's Sunday but it's very important."

"We've told them," Hermoine jumped in to explain hastily, "That you've regained your memory. I'm sorry but it's the only way we could let you alone this evening."

Luna felt a bit of relief that she wouldn't have to explain the morning's ordeal. She wasn't completely off the hook though because what she had to say next, caused a pounding in her heart, a buzzing in her ear that she wanted to blame on a wrackspurt and a fear in her nerves that threatened to start the trembling again.

"We'll send Pigwidgeon to Shacklebolt," Ron stood up from his chair and said, "I'll go send the letter now."

"Wait," Luna held her hand up at Ron. Mrs. Weasley returned setting the warm plate of leftovers down in front of her. Her stomach rumbled appreciately even if her appetite was lacking from what she must do next.

She didn't want to say the words out loud. The power they held to humiliate her, also paralyzed her into fearing her friends would abandon her upon hearing them. She feared that they would treat her as nothing more than the vile, dirty, disgusting creature she imagined herself to be. But the longer she waited to say them, then that would mean Bellatrix had broken her after all. That she would always be broken and damaged.

She found it easiest to focus on Ginny than anyone else in the Grainger-Potter-Weasley unit. Ginny had stuck by her side through thick and thin, keeping her secrets when asked, supporting her and always being there. Luna clung to that thought as she spoke to Ginny, although her words were for the entire room.

"I was raped."

**-HP-**

**Kat's Note: In answer to a question on my reviews: I will not be giving extremely specific details on the rape itself. As stated in my forewarning letter, I'm not extremely comfortable describing something like that. I saw the movie The Accused once when I was really young and it has scarred me for life. I can't even begin to imagine how real survivors of this crime cope with it, but they do.**

**On a lighter note - I would appreciate it if you, my loyal readers, would stop by my one-shot stories "**_**Take My Hand" **_**and **_**"The Nargles That Stole Christmas"**_** to read and review! They are rather cute, one-shots that are easy to enjoy I think and need some attention! **


	19. Chapter 19

_You Do Advance Your Cunning More and More, When Truth Kills Truth_

_Ministry of Magic, Detention Level_

He was an idiot and a fool.

Draco had questioned his decision for the past two days so many times he began to lose count. There wasn't much else he could do in the black tiled holding cell that was his current prison, except for counting the ceiling tiles which had totaled 133. Tomorrow, Shacklebolt would render his sentence to Azkaban. Two years, twenty years; he had no clue how long his term would be.

His mother had been furious with him. His parents had visited him in the detention cell after the hearing. She'd ranted for nearly an hour that he wasn't in his right mind, he was coerced into his plea, Neecy had slipped him a stupidity potion in his juice at breakfast - any explanation was acceptable as long as Draco had not acted on his own will.

Lucius Malfoy's reaction had been worse. His cold blue eyes had stared at Draco from behind the gilded bars that kept his son locked up. He had left within five minutes of Draco's imprisonment with only one brutal, cutting comment left behind. "No son of mine would allow our family name to be besmirched by the lunatic Lovegood family."

Draco had frozen at those words. His father was right. The Malfoy name had once meant something important in the wizarding world. It was those sharp words, the disapproval leeching off his father like a knife to cut into Draco's skin, that had him doubting his decision to make his plea.

Draco propped his arm behind his blonde head, staring up at the tiles on the ceiling. His thoughts drifted as they had been apt to do, to think of the little Ravenclaw who should have stayed well under his radar, had circumstances been different. She was the reason he was now at odds with his mother and father. Her and their child.

It was here that he found himself at war with his own thoughts. Everytime he tried to justify his father's words, telling himself that he could pay off enough people to convince them that Luna Lovegood was a liar and worse, there was a little bit of him that was revolted by the idea. Somehow Draco that had slowly grown a conscience in the past two years and it wouldn't let him go entirely off the moral compass path. It was that part of him was screaming at him that his father was wrong. He needed to apologize to Luna Lovegood and do the right thing by her and the child.

The heavy thoughts weighing him down, were interrupted by the arrival of footsteps down the hall. Draco lifted his head from his arm and then sat up, pulling himself to a sitting position on his cot. The steps slowed as they approached his cell and then stopped in front of the door.

Two faces looked in at him. One immeditately filled him with a familiar loathing that always kept him company when he looked at those round glasses sitting below unkempt dark hair. The other was the dark face of the Minister, the man who held Draco's sentence to Azkaban in his hands. As they opened the door to the cell, Potter said, "You're coming with us Malfoy." 

"Where's Yarborough?" Draco demanded to know standing to his feet. He refused to admit to some confusion as to why the two were here. He was scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow, and yet here they were today acting as if they were escorting him to Azkaban already.

"You won't need him," Shacklebolt said, coming forward with his wand drawn upon Draco. Potter also had his wand at the ready. Draco assumed the worst. If he didn't need Yarborough then that meant they were here to kill him.

"My father will tell the Prophet about this!" Draco's scowl matched the fury in his voice. "You won't get away with killing me! You can't do this! I know my rights! I-"

"Shut it!" Harry thrust his wand under Draco's chin, forcing his head back. Draco breathed in and out heavily, his face red from his unspoken fury and fear of what they intended to do. Harry leaned in and his voice was full of quiet fury as he said, "Have no doubt that I want to kill you Malfoy. It's no more than you deserve for what you did." 

"Harry," Shacklebolt aimed his wand at the Auror in training and said, "Put your wand down or I will be forced to disarm you myself."

For a long, tense moment Draco did not think Harry was going to lower his wand but he finally took it away from Draco's throat. Draco's grey eyes narrowed in anger at Potter but it was Shacklebolt who got his attention as the Minister of Magic said, "We are here to escort you to my office Mr. Malfoy, at the request of Miss Lovegood who wishes to speak to all of us."

The girl wanted to speak to all of them? What for? Draco found himself puzzling over this question as Shacklebolt bound his hands behind him with a small Incarcerous incantation. Potter and Shacklebolt each took an arm, but Harry lost his grip when Draco shouldered him hard to get him to let go snarling, "Don't touch me Potter!" 

They escorted him out of the cell and down the holding hall until they reached the corridor that led to the elevators. It was a long walk in Draco's mind because he was wrestling with questions as to why Luna Lovegood was in the Minister's office and what it meant for him.

They took the elevator to Level One of the Ministry and down the royal purple carpeted corridors to the last office. The plaque on the Mahogany door had been enchanted with Kingsley Shacklebolt's name. Shacklebolt opened the door to the office, taking Draco inside with Harry entering last.

He spotted her immediately in the office, sitting next to the redhead Ginny Weasley on a brown leather couch that was cornered to face the Minister of Magic's large, mahogany desk. Luna's hand was clutching Ginny's and she gripped her friend's hand harder upon his entry. He knew he looked angry and he used it to his advantage, scowling at both of them until Harry forced him into the chair opposite of them.

Harry stood to his left while Shacklebolt sat down in his excutive leather chair behind his desk. "Miss Lovegood we have brought everything you asked for. Would you like to proceed?" Shacklebolt's voice was firm but warm as he extended the invitation.

"Yes," Luna squeezed Ginny's hand one last time. He watched as she stood up, his eyes picking up the tiny way she trembled slightly as if she were scared of her own shadow. She stepped over to Kingsley's desk where a strange, wide, shallow, circular bowl with runes carved in it, set in the center. She withdrew a vial from her pocket where she had stowed it and Draco watched as she lifted it to the basin. If he doubted she was shaking before, the tremor of her hand as she wielded the vial, gave it fully away.

Draco watched as she emptied the contents of the vial into the bowl, the silvery substance swirling around and lifting upward as if to beckon one to come closer. The sight of it stirred a memory in him of one of his sixth year studies, a class in Charms, regarding higher level magical items. It was a pensieve he was looking at, and the purpose of which was to view memories from a witch or wizard.

After she emptied the contents, the blonde witch turned to Draco and met his eyes. He felt his chest tighten as he looked at her. In the two days since he had seen her, her eyes had changed. Instead of the dreamy, wide-eyed innocence, there was a sorrow lying in her expression mingling with the fear. The change in her demeanor took him by such surprise, he didn't hear her speaking at first.

"What?" He asked, aware they were all looking at him.

"I fulfilled the promise I made," Luna repeated. He had no idea what she was talking about until he remembered what his mother had told him. The girl had promised not to tell anyone what had happened that night until she remembered.

He suddenly sat forward in the chair, his arms protesting from where they were bound behind his back. Was she saying she remembered that night?

"None of you have been told this," her gaze flew to the redhead seated on the couch apologetically, "but Draco does not remember what happened that night back in March. He doesn't remember that night anymore than I did."

Draco sucked in his breath to berate her, but she cast him a look that stopped him in his tracks. He didn't know what it was at first.

"His mother didn't want this to be known," she looked at Harry and turned to Shacklebolt saying, "Because their family values their pride and dignity above everything." Her back was to Draco for a moment and then she faced him saying, "But your pride, your dignity can be ripped from you unwillingly." Her voice was hitched low as she said, "And you are left with nothing."

The pain on her face, he had seen it so many times in the people tormented by his family. It still haunted his dreams, hearing their screams and suffering. He tried to forget it, telling himself if it hadn't been them, it would have been him, but the suffering that lingered in her eyes was combined with something he recognized now as pity. She pitied him?

She turned away from him to gesture at the pensieve and said, "It's there. My memory of that night. I only ask that you allow him to view it first before you look because it affects him as well." Her words were addressed to Shacklebolt who inclined his head in acquiesence.

Potter removed the binds on his hands. Draco rubbed his hands together, his wrists chafed slightly from the ropes. He stood up, stepping forward to the pensieve, wanting to see and yet dreading it. A few long strides brought him in front of Shacklebolt's desk and before the device. He stared down into the swirling silver mist, attempting to catch a hint as to what to expect. It did not yield any clues.

He turned his head to look at Luna who had sat down next to Ginny, her left hand gripping the arm of the couch tightly. Her face was strained, her bottom lip tucked into her mouth as she worried at it. She glanced from him to the bowl and back at him. She didn't speak but he could read her thoughts very easily in that one glance.

_Look.._

He turned back to the pensieve and put his face to the silvery memories inside. A sensation lurched through him, grabbing and sucking him into a spinning tornado. He could see his house at the very bottom of the tunnel and he felt as if he were hurtling down, about to crash into it. He yelled, throwing his hands up in front of him, wishing for his wand to stop his fall.

He didn't crash.

When Draco opened his eyes, he recognized that he was in the basement at Malfoy Manor. He could see Luna curled against one wall and he heard the hinges of the basement door as it squeaked open.

He watched himself and his aunt enter the basement. He remembered this much. He watched himself refuse her plan and winced when she struck his face. He lifted his hand to his cheek, remembering how much it had stung.

Draco watched himself and his aunt leave, turning to regard Luna who had been hugging the wall like a lifeline. As they closed the basement door, she slumped against the wall, the visible tension gone.

_"They've gone now Mr. Ollivander," she rose shakily to her feet and went over to check on the old man who was laying against the far wall. His hands were shaking, crossed over his chest. The old man's mouth kept opening and closing, no words coming out. His breathing was harsh, like something was wrong with his lungs. His tongue came out, trying to lick his dry lips but seemed unable to connect to the cracked and parched skin.._

_Luna reached around him picking up a bowl that had barely a swallow of water in it from his other side. She lifted it to his lips, helping him to drink the last bit, lifting the bowl so that it poured into his mouth._

_Mr. Ollivander's voice was raspy and feeble as he barely managed to whisper out, "What about you?"_

_Luna's lips were chapped and dry, giving evidence to her own thirst but she just looked at the bowl and said, "They'll be more soon I hope. This lasted us three days this time."_

The memory flickered and faded, time changing around Draco although the scenery did not. At some point Luna had fallen asleep while tending to Ollivander but she woke to the sound of his hoarse and low screams of pain.

Bellatrix was torturing Ollivander with the Cruciatus curse and once she realized Luna was awake, she began to promise the same.

_"Oh I've got something special in mind for you, you wretched llittle blood traitor! You will know the pain of betraying the Dark Lord and supporting little baby P-P-Potter and his mudblood!"_

_"No one will hear you scream! Silencio!"_

He followed them up the steps and down the familiar corridors of the West Wing of his house. He felt bile rising in his throat, knowing he couldn't stop what was to come, but wanting to reach out and snatch his aunt's victim away from her.

They entered the last room on the corridor and Draco followed them inside. He saw himself standing there, his face impassive and unemotional. He walked up to examine his own features, waving his hand back in front of the other Draco, even thought it was pointless to try to change a memory. The blank, unseeing white of the Imperius curse stared back from his other self.

He wanted to change it. He wished he could curse his aunt a thousand times over as she cooed in his ear about her gift to him and instructed him never to refuse another gift. How the hell had she placed him under the Imperius curse? He had practiced Occlumency with her the entire summer before his sixth year, to close his mind off and help prevent such a thing.

Of course, she had been his teacher and he the student. She knew all his weaknesses and how to attack his mind. Obivously she must have cast the curse while he slept and he had unknowingly slipped into her power without any warning. That was the only conclusion he could make.

He wanted to look away as he watched himself loom over Luna at the bed. He knew his breathing was harsh, his face red with fury at his aunt and the crushing feeling of helplessness as he watched his own self, doing things under her will.._her will!_

When Draco finally lifted his head from the Pensieve, he felt wetness on his cheeks and for a moment he attributed it to the silvery liquid-like substance in the bowl. Too late, he realized it was tears pouring down his cheeks, his breathing harsh and his fists clenched at what he had seen. His eyes sought hers, the same salty tears leaking from Luna's enormous grey eyes as they regarded each other, sharing the same pain in that moment.

She spoke first, her words soft and low so that Harry, Ginny and Shacklebolt all weren't sure of what they heard at first. When the words did sink in, they looked confused and shocked, having not yet seen the memory in the pensieve. Draco was shocked as well, not having considered his own fate that night had shared the exact same as hers, although it was true.

"We were both raped by Bellatrix LeStrange."

**-HP-**

**Kat's Note: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter going! I've been busting butt since 7am this morning to write it! (And doing housework) - It's been a busy week and I had written something entirely different from Luna's POV throughout the week but I scrapped it because I hated it and this chapter worked soooooooooo much better from Draco's POV! I really liked it when I was done writing it! Cheers and look forward to the next chapter! What will be the reaction to the news?**


	20. Chapter 20

_We Can Take On The Rain, We Can Survive the Pain, Together We Can Do Anything_

_Ministry of Magic, Level One_

Ginny Weasley sank down into a chair outside of Shacklebolt's office. Harry sat in the seat next to hers. She turned her head towards him, but didn't really look at him, her mind still recalling the horror she watched in the pensieve. Her throat closed up in reaction, fresh tears blossoming in her brown eyes as she remembered the scene she had witnessed, the abhorrent rape that had occurred to one of her best friends.

She knew Harry's whitened face reflected her own revulsion for the images they had been witness to. However, whereas Ginny was unable to prevent the tears from leaking from her eyes in commiseration for Luna's predicament, Harry's eyes bespoke a hard anger and unleashed violence that promised to spill out on the next unsuspecting victim that provoked his wrath. He was spoiling for a fight with Draco. Ginny knew it without a doubt. He had viewed the pensieve last, his grip on the bowl so tight, she thought he was going to break it when he lifted his head from the mists.

She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, before reaching over to take Harry's hand. When Ginny focused in on his face, she realized he was staring at the closed door to the Minister's office. If looks could kill, Draco would have no chance against the intense glare that Harry was aiming at Shacklebolt's door, behind which the Minister, Draco and Luna were sequestered in private.

The Minister had asked for a moment alone with both Draco and Luna, indicating they should wait out in the hallway. Ginny had not wanted to leave the room, to leave Luna without friends in that room, but the Ravenclaw had squeezed her hand and whispered _"It's alright."_ indicating she should do as the Minister asked. So the two of them had left, Ginny giving Luna one final worried glance before closing the door and letting the tears take over.

She wished she could scrub her mind of the repugnant images she had seen. Or better yet, she could take the elevator down to Level 9, the Department of Mysteries and find a time-turner in which to go back in time to rescue Luna from the torture she had been subjected to at the hands of the Malfoys. They had all assumed she was being held in Azkaban when she had been kidnapped; Harry had even told her how he joked with Ron and Hermoine that she would have made the prison a happy place to be, her bright, infectious laughter outshining the dementor's cold darkness.

The reality of what happened to one of her bravest, best friends was nearly too much for Ginny. She gripped Harry's hand tighter, lacing her fingers through his. Her action got his attention away from the door and he looked at her, his burning green gaze softening as he noticed the tracks of her tears. He lifted the hand not being held by hers, cupping her cheek and rubbing a tear away softly.

"How does anyone recover from that?" Ginny asked, reaching her free hand up to touch his hand on her cheek.

"I don't know," Harry answered honestly. His eyes cut away from her to look at the door again and his next words reminded Ginny of why they both admired and respected Luna so much. "But I know she's tough. She always has been. Luna will come through this somehow." 

She leaned against Harry, still needing to be comforted by him. Without her asking, he tucked his arm around her shoulder, drawing her in close. After a few quiet moments she spoke again saying lowly, "I can't believe Draco Malfoy was crying. I don't think I've ever seen him cry."

"I've only ever seen him cry one time before," Harry said somewhere into her red hair, resting his chin on top of her head. She recalled Harry mentioning that he caught Draco in the bathroom their sixth year, crying to Moaning Myrtle who had been extremely sympathetic to her bullied, sensitive friend. Harry snorted and lifted his chin from her hair and glared at the closed office door. "I could give him something to cry about," he threatened, letting her go and lifting his wand to back up his words.

Ginny gently elbowed him in the side saying, "Stop that Harry." She reminded, "As much as I want to hex him too, we both saw that he didn't do it willingly." She pressed her lips together and then shook her head. "We can't blame Draco Malfoy for this. It was all on his Aunt Bellatrix." She tightened her hold on his hand held in hers and said, "I'm so glad Mum killed her. She was a horrible, evil woman. Look at what she did to Hermoine, to Luna.." she blanched as she recalled dueling Bellatrix with the two of them. There had been a death curse that had barely missed herself, "And what could have happened to me."

"Don't even say it," Harry placed a finger to her mouth and shook his head saying, "It missed. You're here with me and I'm not letting anything ever happen to you again."

"You promise?" Ginny asked, letting go of his hand so she could curl her arms under his and around his back in a tight hug.

"I promise." Harry pull her into his chest, his arms wrapping tight around her. They stayed that way for a long time until Ginny pulled back and looked at the door asking, "How long are they going to be in there?"

**-HP-**

Kingsley Shacklebolt had settled himself behind his desk, looking between Luna and Draco both with a ruminative expression to his eyes, his hands folded together, propped under his chin.

Luna couldn't read minds but she could guess by his expression that he was perplexed as to what to do about herself and Draco. Each person had taken a turn at the pensieve after Draco had pulled his head out of it. Shacklebolt had gone first, his face impassive as he had emerged from the bowl.

Ginny had gone next, her face streaked with tears as well when she had finally lifted her head out. She had gone over to Luna, immediately engulfing her into a huge hug and whispering, "I'm so sorry," in her ear over and over again.

Harry had nearly broken the pensieve, ripping his head violently from the bowl and taking a menacing step towards Draco, his emerald green eyes flashing a promise of ferocious vengeance against the blonde Slytherin. Draco had risen from his chair, fists clenched furiously at Harry's unspoken threat.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley please step outside my office," Shacklebolt's voice had broken through the thick turbulence that had been brewing between Harry and Draco. "I need to speak to Miss Lovegood and Mr. Malfoy alone."

They had left, Draco resuming his seat once Harry had closed the door. Luna had lost her friend's hand to hold and so she maintained a grip upon the arm of the brown leather couch she sat on.

After a few moments of silence in which they all looked back and forth between each other, Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke first. "I don't think I have ever come across a situation like this before," he told both of them. He paused as if to collect his next thought and directed his next words to Draco.

"You, Draco Malfoy, have been cleared by what I witnessed in Miss Lovegood's memories, of the charges of violation and brutality." He lifted a brow and said, "However, we will still have to address the other charges of attempted kidnapping and misuse of magic in front of muggles."

Luna's eyes flicked over to Draco to see his reaction. He gave a slight incline of his head towards Shacklebolt in acknowledgement of the words. His body language was tense and taut again, awaiting to hear the judgement on those charges.

"We will get to that in a moment," Shacklebolt told Draco and then looked back at Luna saying, "In the meantime, after witnessing Miss Lovegood's memories, I think it would be a good idea that the two of you seek counseling about what has occurred between the two of you and Bellatrix Lestrange."

Luna and Draco both blinked, looking at each other and then at Kingsley Shacklebolt. Almost in unison they exclaimed, "What?"

"You would both do well to talk to a therapist or counselor about your experience," Shacklebolt reiterated. "They can help you deal with your feelings about what happened to each of you." He looked at Draco and said, "Especially you. Don't be afraid to seek help Mr. Malfoy. You are not the only man to have this happen to him. One in nine men may find themselves violated this way but more often than not, it is never made public knowledge, so that number may not be as accurate as I had read."

Draco's nose had curled up, his jaw tight reminding Luna a bit of his mother and the way Narcissa looked when faced with something she disliked intensely. "Minister, will this story be made publicly known?" he queried, his steely gaze pinning Shacklebolt under its intensity.

Shacklebolt considered Draco for a moment, taking in the unspoken intimidation and shrugging it off. He was too old and experienced to be worried over a teenage boy's best glare. "I see no reason Mr. Malfoy to make these matters public. I would advise again though, that you seek counseling and do not try to deal with this on your own. That goes for you as well Miss Lovegood."

Luna stared at the Minister for nearly a minute, her gaze almost looking through him. She tipped her head forward slightly to acknowledge his words, but the thought of talking to a stranger about the rape was not something she was prepared to do. She glanced at Draco again to find the same disinclination in his own gaze. His eyes met hers once before they both looked away.

"You may both feel that you don't want to talk about it," Shacklebolt did not miss that glance between them. "However," he continued, "You both have been put through an act of violence against your will. Your lives are already changed because of this. How you cope with it, is entirely up to you, but accepting help when it's too much to deal with on your own is not a weakness."

"Just think about it," Shacklebolt said when neither of them spoke up in response to his speech. Luna looked at Draco, surprised to find his brows were drawn together in a puzzled look that seemed curious, like he was trying to figure her out.

"Now Miss Lovegood if you will please leave as well, I need to speak to Mr. Malfoy alone about his plea and the charges against him." Shacklebolt nodded his head at the door.

Luna nodded and stood up, tugging the hem of her shirt down as she did so, conscious of the slight protrusion that grew bigger day by day. She saw from the corner of her eye that Draco had looked at her again, his eyes zeroed in on the permanent reminder of their shared night of violence. She saw his expression in that moment, one that she had never seen before.

It was a sad, regretful longing gaze as he looked at her stomach and with a slight lurch to her feelings, Luna's own intuition told her that Draco was regretting his plea and the consequences it heralded.

He was her baby's father. They were to share this child together except, judging by Shacklebolt's words and Draco's expression, he may not get to share any part of it if he went to Azkaban because of the charges against him. He could miss out on those important moments in the baby's life, sequestered away behind the dreary walls of prison.

She didn't want that. She didn't want that for their baby. Luna's own mother had missed important milestones in her life, torn away at the tender age of 9 by death. How could she let the father of her child miss out on its development, birth and life, locked up by the ministry law? Draco was very much alive and deserved the chance to know his own child.

She started to walk across the office towards the door, her mind already puzzling a way she could possibly stop Draco from going to Azkaban. She wasn't even sure what was an appropriate thing to say as she put her hand on the door knob. Of course, Looney Lovegood always managed to say the the most inappropriate things at the wrong time and so why should now be any exception?

She took her hand off the door knob, spinning to face Draco and Shacklebolt asking, "May I say something Minister?"

Luna had gained both of their attention in that moment and Shacklebolt nodded his head at her saying, "Go ahead Miss Lovegood."

"I don't wish anyone to press kidnapping charges on my behalf against Draco Malfoy," she told him, butterflies dancing in her stomach as she spoke out. She tried to keep her voice from wavering as she said, "I don't know him very well." She shot a glance at Draco, who was looking at her with a wary, suspicious gaze. "But," she continued on, "What I do know of him is that he makes very poor, rash decisions in a hurry at a detriment to his own being. As you can tell from Friday's hearing when he pleaded no contest so quickly, he acts without thinking first."

"Excuse me?" Draco snapped at her. Luna knew she had offended him with her words, but she held no punches back for him at this moment. She could see the venom and fire lighting back up in Draco's eyes at her words.

"I also think he becomes unduly influenced by his family members and not in a very good way."

Draco was looking like her like he wanted to maim her, coloring at the reminder of what his aunt did to him. Shacklebolt had raised a brow, so she knew she had his interest in her words, by her assessment of Malfoy's character as she added, "I don't think Draco took me from Harrod's because he wanted to, but perhaps because he was under the influence of one of his family members once again."

"I'm not sure where you're going with this Miss Lovegood, but so far I do not hear anything in Mr. Malfoy's favor," Shacklebolt said to her quietly.

"I do have a point," Luna was quick to assure him as she looked at Draco whose expression was extremely cold and angered at her. It was to him she spoke as she said, "Friday, you were willing to go to Azkaban just to save this baby," she indicated her little bump. "You didn't have to do that, but you did."

She could see that she had managed to surprise him a little bit, the bitterness in his features melting away a little bit. She turned to Shacklebolt saying, "I don't think sending Draco to Azkaban would do anything but subject him to even more terrible influence than what he has already experienced under Voldemort and Bellatrix. I've seen a bit of kindness in him, however small, that would be squashed in a dark place like Azkaban." She canted her head and said, "Don't let a bad choice be compounded by yet another, please."

Shacklebolt regarded her seriously as he said, "I will take your request into consideration." He laid one hand in her direction on his desk asking, "Will you please leave myself and Mr. Malfoy alone now so that I may speak with him?"

Luna nodded and turned towards the door. She paused once more with her hand on the door knob and turned to Draco saying, "I really hope you get the chance to see our baby born with me."

It was said for him, but she was pretty sure that the impression she wanted to make before she left, had been set in both Draco and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

**-HP-**

Luna opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Ginny and Harry were sitting in chairs in the hallway, their arms around each other as they sat there. They both looked up as Luna exited Shacklebolt's office, closing the door behind her.

She could see worry and concern on both of their faces. Luna gave a half-hearted attempt at a smile, but she knew it wasn't fooling either of them, and certainly not even herself. Ginny let go of Harry's hand, standing and striding forward to engulf Luna in a hug. Luna didn't have any idea when Ginny had grown taller than her, but she was suddenly glad of it as she leaned on her friend for support.

Harry had stood, hovering behind Ginny, looking pained in the face of Luna's tears. She let go of Ginny drawing back to tell Harry, "Please don't look at me like that. Your face is all scrunchy like you've been in the apothecary shop."

He attempted to smile at her, but it was no better than her own false bravado. "What did Shacklebolt want?" he asked, trying to focus on something else.

"Just to talk," Luna wasn't ready to admit to his suggestion of therapy. In the back of her mind she knew it was a good idea, but she still didn't like the idea of talking about what happened to a total stranger. It was hard enough talking to Ginny and Harry about it, the two people she could count on most in this world besides her father. Thinking of her father, she realized that she couldn't wait to see him that evening, wanting to update him and talk to him about everything that had happened.

"About what?" Ginny asked.

Luna pressed her lips together and shook her head at Ginny. It was an unspoken communication that she was not ready to talk about it yet. Although they may not like it, her friends were used to Luna's nonresponsiveness when she didn't want to talk about something.

The three of them sat down, quietly contemplating their own thoughts. While thinking of how to tell her father about her memories, Luna's gaze chanced at one point to glance over at Harry and Ginny. She found herself captivated by their body language, noting their hands entwined together, their heads bowed towards each other, leaning into each other for comfort and support. It was beautiful.

She was surprised by the tiny surge of longing that hit her at the sight. It was a yearning to have someone important in her life, like Harry and Ginny had each other; someone who would she could share those small moments of happiness or sadness with. She didn't know if she would ever find that sort of love, to be able to trust somewhat that explicitely, but it was a nice thought that maybe someday she could find someone to share her love and life with, someone who would love both herself and the baby she carried.

She laid her hands on her stomach, calming the emotional roller coaster she'd found herself riding ever since she regained her memories. No, Luna corrected herself, the turbulent emotions she had been experiencing had been ocurring longer than the previous day. Her emotional sanity had flown out the window, months ago when she had been kidnapped off of the Hogwarts Express and had yet to return to a blissfully unaware state. She let out a small huff of sarcastic air, realizing that she had in fact become her dreaded nickname Looney Lovegood, in the small space of a few months, due to the recent events in her life.

"What's so funny Luna?" Ginny asked, having heard the puff of air and mistook it for amusement.

"I think I'm feeling a little odd today," Luna lifted her eyes to the ceiling and then lowered them back to Ginny saying, "Looney you could say." Her lips twitched at the mention of her nickname but Ginny frowned at her, her brows drawing together. "I'll be okay," Luna was quick to pat Ginny's arm. They lapsed into silence again.

Luna eventually found her gaze and her thoughts, drifting to the closed door and the occupants behind it. She wondered if Shacklebolt woulld have listened to her words and dropped the charges against Draco Malfoy or would she be raising this child solely by herself? She rubbed her stomach absentmindedly while she considered both options separately.

A while later, the door to Shacklebolt's office opened and the three of them looked up immediately, questions hovering in their eyes.

**-HP-**

**Kat's Note: I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! What was your costume? I was a 'fair maiden" in a renaissance dress and I had two lovely little trick or treaters that showed up at my door - a sorceress and a princess! It was quite fun, especially as I live in the country and we never get trick or treaters no matter what! I made "Severed Finger Cookies" which are really cool butter cookies (rolled into thin finger shapes) with red dyed almond slivers to look like fingernails. It was extremely cool! **

**I'm thinking of wrapping up Lament for the Dragon Moon within the next chapter or so and then starting a sequel to move Luna and Draco into the next part of their lives. How would you, my readers, feel about that? **


	21. Chapter 21

_Think But This And All Will Be Mended, That You Have But Slumbered Here_

_Ministry of Magic, Level One_

_"I really hope you get the chance to see our baby born with me."_

Draco stared at the closed door that Luna had just left through. His thoughts were warring with his heart as they often did lately. He'd been so certain she was sabotaging him in that speech to the minister, listing off his qualities in such a manner that even Shacklebolt had said she wasn't helping him any. Draco had agreed with Shacklebolt's words, feeling a surge of anger at Luna's assessment of his character.

And then she had actually spoken up on his behalf, asking Shacklebolt to drop the kidnapping charges. At that point he didn't know what to think of the girl. She must be competely looney as they all said. She couldn't be in her right mind, asking for his freedom when he was the instrument of his aunt's abuse. Luna Lovegood was either completely nuts or utterly stupid (which wasn't a convincing argument as the Sorting Hat never let imbeciles into Ravenclaw) or else she was one of the most selfless people Draco had ever chanced to meet.

His head made the decision to agree with the general consensus of all that Luna Lovegood was absolutely looney. His heart though would not let him easily forget her parting words, bringing a strange sensation in his chest that felt a lot like joy. As he rarely felt this emotion - the disapproval of his father during his school years, the fear of Voldemort's rise to power and his family's struggle to stay on the winning side, stealing any sort of happiness he might have tried to attain - he tried to brush it aside but found he could not. It was taking hold in his body and lingering there.

It was a strange, curious sensation, this joy. If Draco could admit it to himself, he might find that he liked it and wanted to discover more of this happiness in his life. But he didn't even know if he would get the opportunity. Not if he was trundled off to Azkaban, placed into the power of the soul-eating dementers. He was jolted out of his own thoughts by the reminder that life was never fair and he now faced Shacklebolt's decision on how he was going to be punished.

His eyes left the doorway, turning to Shacklebolt who was watching him with an amused expression. Draco's pale brows drew together in unspoken question at that amusement.

"It seems you have a friend Mr. Malfoy," Shacklebolt's warm brown eyes glanced at the door before landing back on him with that amused expression as he concluded, "Whether you want one or not."

A friend? Luna Lovegood, a friend?

His head was rejecting the idea immediately. The minister was nuts, just like Luna. She was a loon and simply a nuisance. She was to be the birth mother to his child, nothing more, nothing less. And if he truly thought so little about her, he could only ask himself why the the mention of being friends with her made his heart start to beat a little faster? And why was that stupid warm feeling trying to make its way all over his body? It was ridiculous and his face fused with color.

Shacklebolt was truly amused, half chuckling at the expression of embarassed shock on Draco's face. Draco caught himself at the last second, schooling his features into an unreadable expression, but it was too late. The damage had already been done by the minister's suggestion.

"Aren't we here to discuss my sentence Minister Kingsley?" Draco found his voice to be harsher than he meant it to be as he tried to change the subject. "My defense wizard needs to be owled to be here."

Shacklebolt lifted a hand, dismissing his suggestion with a wave of his hand. "There is no need for that Mr. Malfoy." He laced his hands together again and said, "Just as there was no need for Miss Lovegood to make a plea on your behalf, although it was unusual to see her speaking up in support of you. She seemed to know you well for you two having such limited contact from what you've both told me."

Draco could feel himself turning red again at the reminder that she had in fact brought up several points of what could be considered his weaknesses. He pressed his lips together, knowing that she was probably being influenced by Potty-mouth, because there was no way Luna Lovegood could be that astute about him in such a short period of time. It wasn't possible. Simply impossible.

He forced himself to turn away from thinking of Luna for a moment, focusing instead on the fact the Minister said it wasn't necessary for Luna to speak up for him. "What's my sentence to be?" he asked the Minister quietly, knowing the man had already made up his mind. Would it be two years? Five years?

"Six months," Shacklebolt said.

Draco felt his throat clench shut and drop into his stomach. Six months. Six months in Azkaban surrounded by dementors. That might not even be the worst of it though. Several Deatheaters already behind the walls of Azkaban knew of his family's sudden switch to the other side. They'd be out for his blood.

He swallowed nervously. Six months. Perhaps he could request a solitary cell and never come out. That might not be so bad. Six months. His brain kept repeating the number, trying to assure himself that it wasn't so bad. His stupid heart was not in agreement, reminding him that he'd never get the chance to see Luna's final words become a reality.

_"I really hope you get the chance to see our baby born with me."_

She'd be due right about that time if not before. He entertained the idea briefly as to whether or not she could keep her legs crossed an extra week or two to allow him time for his release from prison to see the baby being born.

"Six months service in the Ministry War Rebuild Effort," Shacklebolt's words penetrated Draco's consciousness and he lifted shocked grey eyes to meet Shacklebolt's brown ones.

"I think with most of the charges against you being dismissed, the mis-use of Magic in front of Muggles automatically volunteers you for community services towards your fellow wizard and witches," Shacklebolt continued on. "Six months service with the War Rebuild office may do you a bit of good Mr. Malfoy. You'll be able to see how the choices you made affected the lives of your peers."

"Are you serious?" Draco didn't dare to hope, thinking perhaps the Minister was pulling one over on him.

"I don't joke about things like this," Shacklebolt assured him. "You've been through enough. I only hope that you will consider that your actions have consequences Mr. Malfoy. You're old enough to begin making decisions on your own, but young enough to still change. It is time you see the world beyond your parent's influence. I hope you will use your time in service wisely to begin to see the world around you as it is, not as you've been told it is."

He was free. Draco vaguely heard Shacklebolt spouting things about how he needed to keep care for his fellow wizard and witches, but his mind was occupied by the thought that he was not going to Azkaban. Excitement blossomed in his chest, the knowledge of his freedom sending an urge into his legs, making him to want to yell and celebrate his victory.

He shot to his feet, nearly startling Shacklebolt who had been speaking. "Sit down Mr. Malfoy, I'm not done yet," Shacklebolt said to him with a stern, warning glance.

Draco had to squash his temporary victory as he sat back down in the chair again. Shacklebolt was not finished at all as he said to Draco, "You'll report to the rebuild office first thing tomorrow morning." Shacklebolt went over the terms of Draco's service including the rules he'd have to follow to fulfill his community service sentence.

"Now I realize you'll need time off to fulfill your new family obligations," Shacklebolt informed him, "If Miss Lovegood wishes your attendance to her doctor's appointments and I gather from her last words to you that she might, you'll be allowed time off from your service to participate in those visits. Also if you choose to seek counseling about this incident, we'll work around that in your schedule as well."

Draco nonchalantly nodded his head at Shacklebolt, but he still wanted to celebrate his freedom, his feet itching to leave the Minister's office and apparate home to give his mother and father the news. His mum was going to be extremely happy. He didn't know what his father's reaction would be.

"Don't waste this opportunity Mr. Malfoy," The Minister was still speaking and Draco heard the earnest tone underly in his voice. "You've got the chance to make yourself a better man than the boy you have been these past few years. Get new friends - I suggest starting with Miss Lovegood who may be a good influence on you - but most of all," Shacklebolt paused and then tilted his head at Draco saying, "Try to get a new perspective. Our world is changing Draco Malfoy and you have the opportunity to change with it."

Draco's nose had wrinkled up at Shacklebolt's suggestion of having Luna as a friend. Shacklebolt noticed his look and said, "Do not reject the idea so quickly Mr. Malfoy. You both need to heal and having gone through this ordeal together, she may be of great help to you, and you to her. At the very least you need to come to friendly terms since you will share a child together."

Draco snorted. Yes, he may have to come to friendly terms with her, but the idea of being friends with Luna Lovegood was ludicrous. She may present a pretty picture all cleaned up, her scent may remind him of summer honeysuckle blowing in the late summer breeze and he may have found himself thinking about her more than he ought the last month or two; but, they could never be friends.

He wanted more than that.

The thought completely startled him, coming out of left field the way it did latching into Draco's thoughts. It wound its way through his emotions, calming his heart at the recognition of this truth, while his brain struggled to empty the idea out. His conscious was in agreement with his heart, making that ridiculous warm, joyous feeling blossom all over him again. It was maddening the way he was feeling about Luna Lovegood. She was making _him_ certifiably looney as well.

"You may go now," Shacklebolt said, oblivious to the conflict between Draco's mind and heart in front of him. Draco stood to his feet and Shacklebolt reminded, "Tomorrow 8am sharp you must present yourself to Dugald Caxton for your assignment."

"I will send a note to level two to have your wand released back into your possession," the minister said as Draco opened the door to exit his office.

**-HP-**

Draco stepped out of the office and spotted Potty-mouth, Weaslette and Luna all sitting in chairs diagonal to the office door. He paid no attention to Harry or Ginny, his focus on Luna whose large grey eyes were unreadable as he approached her. She stood up from her chair and he paused two feet from her, suddenly not sure how to say the words he had to say to her.

He had every intention of scolding her, slandering insults upon her personage for the way she had spoken about him to the minister. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it, giving her his best glare. She looked slightly wary but he could see she had a note of worry in her eyes underneath the caution. In a very strange way it reminded him of his mother and how she worried for him. No one ever worried about him except for her.

There was that damn niggling feeling of joy again. His glare softened into a long stare without him knowing it until he was lost, gazing into her dark grey eyes. When he finally realized he'd been standing like an idiot for nearly a good minute, he shook himself mentally and opened his mouth.

"You didn't have to say what you did. I didn't need you to speak to Shacklebolt for me." The words left his mouth before he could think it through and say a proper thank you like he meant. He hoped it didn't sound as harsh as he thought it did, not used to feeling any sort of gratitude to someone like Luna. It must have been rougher than he thought though because Potter and Weasley stood up together, both looking very defensive of their friend.

"I know," Luna agreed in her soft voice, speaking up before Harry or Ginny could. "I wanted to." She seemed oblivious to his rough words, instead asking, "Are you going to Azkaban?" 

She peered up at him through her pale lashes. As Draco looked her over, he found himself consciously aware of her more than he had ever been. The minister's words kept running through his head. _"She may be of great help to you, and you to her."_

He'd never had anyone that wasn't his family speak out and worry for him before. Could they start off as friends? This situation with Luna was completely unfamiliar and he wasn't sure how to handle it. _"At the very least you need to come to friendly terms since you will share a child together."_

For the baby he told himself. Yes, he could do it. But first he had to answer her question and let her know he was going to be there. He took two steps forward and then said. "No."

Did he imagine it or did her shoulders slump slightly in relief? He told himself he must have imagined it.

Or maybe not, because she suddenly cast a smile at him that did things to his heart rate he wasn't sure he liked. "That's good," she smiled widely at him seeming as pleased he had been at his release.

He'd been inching towards her, he didn't know when his feet had decided to move on their own, but suddenly an arm thrust itself between him and Luna, causing her to step backwards. Harry slipped between Draco and Luna, putting himself bodily between them. "Aren't you lucky then? Running home to tell your father?" There was no mistaking the biting, sarcastic anger behind Harry's questions.

"I was talking to Luna not you Potter so stay out of my way!" Draco went toe to toe with Harry, standing his ground against the Auror-in-training.

"You'll have nothing to do with her after what your family has done!" Harry snarled back at him, palming his wand.

"She's carrying _my_ child Potter, so she has part of _my family_ right now!" Draco retorted, ready to bear his own fists if necessary against Harry's wand.

"Harry!" Ginny seized his wand arm holding it down before he could lift it at Draco. "Stop this now both of you!"

"Yes," Luna agreed in a mild tone from behind Harry. She stepped forward to his left and laid her hand on his other arm looking him straight into his bright green eyes. "You have to stop being angry at Draco, Harry. Anger and hatred will only pull you down the same path as Voldemort." Her eyes flicked up to his lightning shaped scar on his forehead. "His curse has been gone for months Harry, don't let his ghost remain behind."

Draco watched as Potter gave Luna a very shocked expression at her words. She remained impassive as if she'd not said anything of importance but the impression her words managed to make on Harry Potter left no doubt in Draco's mind at a question he had about her. The Ravenclaw was extremely intuitive, damn it. Perhaps she belonged in Ravenclaw after all.

"I don't see how you can be so forgiving Luna!" Harry's shock wore off at the reminder of his link to Voldemort and he glared once more at Draco who returned the look with equal force.

Luna pressed her lips together at Harry's words, closing her eyes for a moment. Draco glanced at her and noticed that she was pale, her brows drawn together and he directed his question at her asking, "Are you alright?"

She opened her eyes and nodded her head. Turning once more to Harry she said, "I know you're upset for me Harry, but you have to stop." She glanced behind him at Ginny who was giving Luna a pained expression. "This isn't your fault," Luna told him looking back at Potter.

"I should have gotten you sooner," Harry said, his voice full of regret and sorrow as he spoke to Luna. Draco became uncomfortably aware that a lump was growing in his throat, feeling a bit of pity for Potter. He squelched it down with a reminder that this was his childhood enemy.

"I said this isn't your fault Harry. It never has been. And besides, we can't change the past," Luna's voice was firm and reminded Draco of Shacklebolt as she added, "But we can change the future."

Luna curled her hand over her stomach saying, "I'm going to have this baby Harry. Draco is the father and will be part of its life. I hope my best friends can understand that." She included Ginny in the gaze she sent Potter and his girlfriend.

Harry still had that wounded, puppy-eyed, sorrow look to his eyes as he regarded Luna. Draco backed off from Harry, slightly fearing that the Lost Boy would continue to incite that hint of pity he felt inside him. Potter looked utterly dejected and hopeless. Draco should be laughing and jeering at him in his pain, but somehow he couldn't bring it forth at that moment.

"I wanted to speak to you Luna," Draco shuddered mentally at the thought he'd have any emotion like pity for Potter, choosing to focus on the petite blonde girl instead. He wanted to let her know about the community service, but didn't want to share the information in front of Potter and Weaslette. He also wanted to have a private word with her about the baby He jerked his thumb sideways, his words directed towards Luna. "Alone if you will." 

"Alright Draco," Luna nodded at him.

"Luna don't." Harry made a move to stop her and she shook her head at him

"I'll be fine Harry. I have my wand..oh where is it.." She looked up both sleeves before pulling out a white elm wand and tucking it behind her ear with a, "Here it is."

Draco stared at the wand tip sticking far out over Luna's head. Who did that? Who carried their wand like that?

There was only one answer. Luna Lovegood did.

"See? I'll be safe," Luna told Harry. "I'll just be down the hall where you can still see me." She turned towards Draco and caught the look he was giving Harry.

Draco couldn't help the smirk that crossed his lips as he stepped away down the hall. It was aimed at Harry, knowing it would irk the Boy Who Lived even more than he had a slight victory over him, getting Luna alone. His smirk didn't last long though as Luna turned and quirked her brow at him before shaking her head. She followed behind him down the hallway.

Once they were out of hearing distance of Harry and Ginny, but still within sight of them, he stopped and turned on his heel. Luna came up short in front of him and he found himself looking down at her once again.

"What did you need to speak to me about Draco?"

**-HP-**

**Kat's Notes: So it was very hard not to make Luna sound like Yoda. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to fear. Fear leads to the dark side of the force. I think Yoda would have been in Ravenclaw maybe. Or perhaps Gryffindor!  
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**If you perchance read my story "Take My Hand" that was previously a one-shot it has been updated and will now be a series of Luna/Neville drabbles. Please drop by and give it a look! Chapter 2&3 are up!**

**Also I was recently watching Bryan Adam's video on youtube "Everything I do, I do it for you" from Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Everyone's favorite double agent Severus Snape aka Alan Rickman played the Sheriff of Nottingham and there's a scene where he's wearing robes and a mask! I was totally like "Aha! He was a Deatheater before he knew he was a Deatheater!" It was a funny thought to say the least. XD Or maybe everyone else already knew this and I was the last to pick up on it.**

**Next Up: Final Chapter! Then I'm going to start the next part of their lives in a new story! I will let all my loyal reviewers know by private message when I start the new story! So if you haven't reviewed before, now is the time to leave me one so I can pm you once I start the new story!**


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